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ll over the world when speaking of Italy, one immediately thinks of beauty and history. This book,
The Italian Legacy in the Dominican Republic. History, Architecture, Economics and Society
, illustrates how
the Dominican Republic has been positively influenced and permeated by Italian culture, which has
brought with it not only beauty but also science, technology, and economic development.
Individuals like Christopher Columbus and Alessandro Geraldini, first resident bishop of Santo Domingo,
man of letters, intellectual, and diplomat, contributed significantly to the diffusion of our culture in this splen-
did country. The book shows how culture was transported by Geraldini not only through construction of the
beautiful Santo Domingo cathedral but also through defense of the natives. These are little known pages of
world history, written by Italians in the Dominican Republic and subsequently followed by many others in
which the central figures are Dominicans alongside their Italian friends.
The Italian presence in the Dominican Republic is found not only in the humanist, artistic, musical, and
cinematic cultures, but also in the areas of science and technology. Indeed, at the end of the nineteenth cen-
tury Genoese merchants brought fundamental agricultural innovations to the Dominican Republic, which
transformed the country’s economy, while the Salesians, still remembered by the people with gratitude, es-
tablished an effective system of widespread education in the country, teaching as well the professional skills
needed to carry out different activities. Various institutions were also set up by Italians: the first Dominican
daily newspaper was founded by Italians in 1889, as was the Navy, by a Genoese merchant and hero of Domin-
ican independence, Giovanni Battista Cambiaso.
There have also been important mutual exchanges in the field of architecture: from the first palace inspired
by the Italian Renaissance in the Americas to the so recognizably Italian model of the Presidential Palace in
Santo Domingo, designed by an Italian engineer. Many Dominican architects are remembered for having
studied in Italy.
By virtue of this book, the Dominican Republic’s Italian community itself will gain a better knowledge of
its origins. If there is an awareness of this shared history, of this new culture created owing to the contribution
of Italian culture, new opportunities for trade and investment may arise. Indeed, the shared knowledge of our
cultures cannot but lead to a new and more intense relationship, along with the desire to write new pages of
this history together.
Dario Franceschini
Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities of Italy