We returned to the historical site of La Isabela, the first settlement in the new world. Christopher Columbus came here on January, 1st/ 1493, after finding that the 39 men that he had left behind on his first voyage had all died from either, disease or at the hands of the natives. He then moved eastward along the north coast till he came to an idyllic bay on the mouth of the Bajabonica River. Here Columbus founded a settlement and named it in honour of the Spanish queen, “La Isabela”.
The town held nearly 5000 inhabitants, there were no women
on the ships as they were considered “mala suerte” (bad luck).
The foundation of the admirals’ house still remains, with the original roof tiles piled alongside. These were formed on the thighs of the craftsman before being brought from Spain. Even the design on the exterior stucco can be clearly seen.
The foundation of the admirals’ house still remains, with the original roof tiles piled alongside. These were formed on the thighs of the craftsman before being brought from Spain. Even the design on the exterior stucco can be clearly seen.
Model of the original Home
In the 1950’s the dictator, Rafael Trujillo, ordered a crew to clean up the site in preparation for a visit by Spanish archaeologists. There was a mix up in communication, and they bulldozed the remarkably intact ruins. Some of the site has now been restored, but there is no word on the dozer driver. An archaeologist from Venezuela excavated this site, and then sent the data to the University of Florida, who used computers to make sense of the findings. Rocks on the ground mark the original buildings, including the outline of the church, where the first mass was celebrated by a priest who accompanied Columbus. Floor tiles from the original are now inlaid in the reconstructed, Templo de Las Americas, less than ¼ mile away.
The site also has a number of grave sites. The Spanish were
laid to rest with their arms crossed over their chest; the Tainos were put in a
fetal position. They believed they were going to be reborn to a new mother, so
they had to be in the correct position.
In the 1950’s the dictator, Rafael Trujillo, ordered a crew to clean up the site in preparation for a visit by Spanish archaeologists. There was a mix up in communication, and they bulldozed the remarkably intact ruins. Some of the site has now been restored, but there is no word on the dozer driver. An archaeologist from Venezuela excavated this site, and then sent the data to the University of Florida, who used computers to make sense of the findings. Rocks on the ground mark the original buildings, including the outline of the church, where the first mass was celebrated by a priest who accompanied Columbus. Floor tiles from the original are now inlaid in the reconstructed, Templo de Las Americas, less than ¼ mile away.
When Columbus came here, there were approximately 300,000
Taino Indians, but by the 16th century most had died off.
Columbus abandoned La Isabela in 1496, after being stricken
with malaria, and moved to and built Santo Domingo. This city is now the oldest
continuous inhabited city in the new world.
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