Panteón Nacional

Built in 1747 as a Jesuit church, the Panteón Nacional (Calle de las Damas and Mercedes, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Sun., free) served mostly as a warehouse and a theater until 1958, when Rafael Trujillo had it converted into a shrine for the country’s most illustrious people. No doubt, he had selfish forethought of a memorial to himself, an idea that never materialized. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco donated the central chandelier.

Today, some of the Dominican Republic [1]’s most influential people and political figures are honored here and entombed behind marble walls. The building is constructed entirely of massive limestone blocks with a neoclassical facade. Shorts, tank tops, and sneakers are discouraged.