Old Masonic mansion, a photo from Puerto Plata, West

Photographer's Note

Along with Punta Cana in the South East, Puerto Plata, in the North coast, is renowned as an all-inclusive beach resort, maybe one of the hugest ones in the Caribbean. Wikipedia states that the area has more than 100000 hotel beds (the population of the town is 200000) and I suppose that this doesn't include the resorts that are a bit farther away from the town. My guidebook calls it the "mass tourism capital of the Caribbean". However, surprisingly it is a very nice town that doesn't look that touristy. Maybe August isn't exactly high season, but considering that the hotels were far from deserted, we were surprised that there were almost no tourists in the old part of the town. I guess that more than 90% of the tourists that go to Puerto Plata and Dominican Republic in general only leave their hotels for one or two guided tours.

The town had a turbulent past, having been almost completely destroyed more than once and alternating some periods of wealth and glory with large periods of almost complete desertion and/or absence of law. The first Spanish settlement dates from 1502 and during part of the 16th century it was an important harbour that supplied the Spanish ships coming from from Mexico to Spain. But in the end of that century, it was replaced by Havana in that role, mainly because of the increasing risk posed by the pirates, who eventually ended up using the zone as a base, after the Spaniards forced most of the population to leave and move South. In the 18th century the town was repopulated with people from the Canary Islands, but in the next century it was almost totally demolished by nationalist armies during a war against the Spanish forces. Apart from an old Spanish fort that is much older, most of the old part of town dates from the later 19th century, when the tobacco industry made the fortune of wealthy people of the town, most of them German exporters. Some built fabulous mansions that resisted until now. During that time, Puerto Plata was one of the most cosmopolitan and wealthiest towns of the Caribbean. The tobacco business declined when the US took possession of the customs receipts of Dominican Republic in the early 20th century and made difficult the tobacco trade with Germany, the main destination of exports. Sugar replaced tobacco as the source of wealth of the town and the place kept his glory and kept increasing its population and factories until the Great Depression of 1929 ruined the businesses. They had to wait for the 1960's for an economic revival brought by sugar industry again and the renovation of the port. Then, in the 1970's it was the beginning of the mass tourism.

I didn't find anything about this half ruined mansion. It looks like a public building (school, museum, government department or anything like it) and I wonder if it wasn't the home of some important historic figure of the 19th century "War of Restoration" that resulted in the second independence of the country from the Spaniards (the first one was in 1844 from the Haitians, who occupied the country for 22 years).

Location (latitude, longitude): 19.79967,-70.6912

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Update 9-Oct-2007: Thank's to Emile, now I know that the building is the siege of a Masonic Lodge, the Logia Restauraci髇 number 11 and dates from the 25th September of 1867. It is one of the best kept old constructions in Puerto Plata.

ribeiroantonio, siolaw, dareco, pboehringer, robertosalguero, edytungkal, japiey, feather, ChrisJ, linask, Tort, lucasgalodoido, xuaxo, atus, lilimih33, rakeshgupta, shevchenko, Emile, Charo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

siolaw (38294) 2007-10-07 20:01

Hi Jose
A classical example of colonial architecture, light and colors are excellent, frontal POV helps to make e it nicely symmetric.
Interesting.
Laurent

leonorkuhn (16237) 2007-10-07 20:09

Ol� Jos�,

O Antonio tem raz鉶, h� v醨ios s韒bolos ma玺nicos neste belo port鉶 de entrada. Os ma鏾ns gostam de preservar estes pr閐ios antigos. Muito boa simetria e com a sucess鉶 de arcos, uma boa profundidade. As cores est鉶髏imas, muito boa luz e detalhes.
Bem visto e bem realizado!

Abra鏾s
Leonor

[2] +

dareco (17136) 2007-10-07 20:13

A very unique and impressive building! Great color! TFS

pboehringer (770) 2007-10-07 20:53

Jose,
quite interesting your historical excursion regarding the Dominican Republic and especially of the place of Puerto Plata. The building has several signs of the masons and makes me believe that it has or was something related to them.
Regards, Peter

[2] +

robertosalguero (292) 2007-10-07 22:19

Hola Jose. This is a nice building. The symbols on the outside are Masonic, meaning this was more than likely a Masonic Temple at one time, or perhaps it still is. The architecture of the building is very attractive and with some more care it would look beautiful again. Good colours and sharpness. Thanks for this image of our #33.

Roberto

UnTrained (0) 2007-10-07 22:30

Ol� Jos�,
interesting building, including so many styles and an astonishing combination of colours with the white and blue together with that earth tone. Bright capture and some nice shadows on it. The entrance wall is covering the building itself so it keeps a secret about the inner view.
Lieben Gruss, Ulf

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2007-10-07 22:51

Hi Jose.

Excellent light! It was, from my POV, the key in the picture...

Rgs, Oscar

edytungkal (4551) 2007-10-07 23:33

Interesting and beautiful building and you have composed it very well. Very well balance and i think this is an original one without cropping. Thanks Jose for share it.

daniel

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2007-10-08 1:07

Pelo s韒bolo no port鉶, eu diria que tem a ver com os mass髇icos. � um edif韈io muito giro com uma mistura de arquitecturas interessante.
Gosto da simetria que d閟te � imagem e das cores conseguidas.
Ant髇io

[2] +

japiey (10163) 2007-10-08 1:29

Hi Jose

BEAUTIFULL SHOT.
Excellent composition and fine tones.

jean paul

feather (51130) 2007-10-08 2:39

Sad but true the vast majority of the tourists never venture beyond the gates of their all-inclusive hotels and swimming pools. Imagine - they might have to spend some money when they get things "free" in the hotel! Looking at the map this place is so close to the beach; merely a stroll away.
I was looking at the symbols on the walls; they look like something masonic with artisan's tools - maybe a guild hall or similar?
I like the symmetry of the front-on composition showing the "shabby-chic" of the building. The open gate is an invitation to enter as well as revealing the bust at the entrace. Despite the strong light and hard shadows you have captured plenty of detail in a well exposed image. Well done
Kath.

[2] +

ChrisJ (172466) 2007-10-08 5:40

Hi Jose

I like the yellow vs blue colour contrast. Good sharpness, colour, & lighting contrasts. The tight framing is great too, with no part of the frame wasted. Tfs!

Tort (2266) 2007-10-08 6:51

Ol� Jos�,
Bem interessante esta foto, com excelente nitidez e cores fortes. Uma arquitetura muito bonita com todos estes s韒bolos ma玺nicos.
Excelente nota explicativa
Parab閚s
Abra鏾s
Juan Tort

lucasgalodoido (27698) 2007-10-08 10:12

Ol� Jos�!
As cores e a arquitetura da casa s鉶 bem interessantes, s� n鉶 entendi direito esses n鷐eros de restaura玢o, 11 na portaria, 33 no casa... Foto 髏ima!
Parab閚s e Abra鏾!

[2] +

batalay (41261) 2007-10-08 11:39

Hello Jos�,

An illuminating note, a very good photo. Despite the stark contrasts in light and shade, it is a high resolution shot that makes it possible to read the names above the door. Warm regards,

Bulent

xuaxo (6854) 2007-10-08 13:36

Ol� Jos�
Apesar de alguma falta de pintura, este edif韈io (quase de certeza ma珞nico) ainda mostra bem o seu esplendor.
Quanto � foto, defeitos s� se for uma ligeira inclina玢o e eventualmente essa coisita branca no canto inferior direito.
Bela captura, no geral.
Um abra鏾,
F

[2] +

sothy81 (9646) 2007-10-08 14:42

Hi Jose,

This is simply the best. Very nice show of this great architecture. Very good in colors and light. I am amazed with this great architecture. We have some colonial mansions in Cambodia too which were left by France when they coloniazed Cambodia during 18-19 century.

Sothy

atus (15878) 2007-10-08 15:28

Hello Jos�,
very nice and interesting capture of a perfect clarity. The exposure is excellent and both the light and the colours are perfectly controlled with the polariser filter. Very good work!
Tfs and best wishes.
Attila

lilimih33 (9918) 2007-10-08 17:35

Hello Jose!
Beautiful architecture and great colours, light, clarity and perspective!
Nice place!
Excellent done!
Best regards!
Lili

rakeshgupta (2672) 2007-10-08 18:44

Hi Jose,
I think either this should be a residence of some businessman of the area or preserved by government. Your POV is great here. The symbols over the exterior walls are looking like telling some restoration related office in the building.
I like the colors of the building and the sharpness is excellent.
Thanks for sharing.
Rakesh

shevchenko (20560) 2007-10-08 20:20

Hi Jose,
Interesting historical place, artistic old architecture with columns and arch resemble with Greece/Roman building, but more colourful, good pov and good balancing of symmetri, thanks for sharing.
Ally

Emile (20352) 2007-10-08 22:32

Hola Jose.
No te habia puesto ninguna critica debido a que estaba buscando informacion sobre lo que es esta interesante edificacion.
El edificio es una Logia de Masones de la Ciudad de Puerto Plata que se instala el 25 de Sept. 1867 y se llamo la � Logia Restauraci髇 N�11�, al Or.�. de Puerto Plata, es una de las edificaciones antiguas de la ciudad mejor conservada. Tu nota historica esta magnifica.
Tu foto es excelente, con muy buenos colores y definicion, buen encuadre y POV.
Felicitaciones.
Un fuerte abrazo.

vincz (19113) 2007-10-09 0:26

Superbe melange de couleurs entre ce belu du ciel bien polarise, l'ocre du buiding et le bleu encore des bosieries et des peintures. Le tout a moitie en ruine, une atmosphere tres interessante certianement tres speciale en sortant des resorts pour touristes sur la cote.

Bluejeans (64251) 2007-10-09 14:35

Oi amigo,
Muito interessante este palacio , de uma grande belesa arquitectonica , fantasticos os simbolos na entrada , bom enquadramento da foto , gostei muito das cores , parabens!!!
Um abra鏾 Gon鏰lo

darrasin (2860) 2007-10-09 22:43

Hello Jose! Very well done technically and thanks for the informative note. Your image perfectly renders the fabulous color and great character of the Masonic Lodge. I like how one of the gates at front is closed and the other open allowing us to peer into the successive doorways. Did you have to open the gate? If you did, nice work.

TFS
Doug

danyy (0) 2007-10-10 1:57

Bonjour Jose,
tu as bien restitu� la beaut� et la majest� de ce b鈚iment, notamment, en rendant bien les couleurs superbes de la sc鑞e et en dosant bien les lumi鑢es.
Un cadrage sym閠rique qui convient bien � la sc鑞e.
Best regards.
Daniel.

Charo (51290) 2007-10-11 0:38

Hola Jose,
Buena nota sobre esta casa mas髇ica y estupenda toma de la misma con sus s韒bolos represantados en la fachada.
Excelentes colores y detalles.
Cordialmente
Charo

paura (25802) 2007-10-11 7:42

Jos�
Parece que voc� conseguiu captar todos os s韒bolos presentes. A fotografia est� bem ajustada, com brilhante resultado.

Com rela玢o a sua outra foto, entendo que uma lente com mais abertura que 18 � desnecess醨io, n鉶? Essa sua lente antiga de 14 � para profissional em 醨ea espec韋ica, n鉶? :-)

Abra鏾s

Paulo

marietom (34611) 2007-10-13 14:06

Bonsoir Jose

Belle b鈚isse, aux tr鑣 jolies couleurs.
Marie

ahmetgedikli (25609) 2007-10-17 13:32

Ola Jose,
Beautiful architecture. That is a really nice photo. Superb colors and details.
Best regards,
Ahmet

jmdias (116663) 2008-09-05 17:55

z�

创e um daqueles achados de viagem, muitas vezes um edif韈io assim nos d� mais alegria do que aquela famosa catedral que j� vimos mil vezes antes de a conhecer pessoalmente, um pr閐io assim mant閙 todo o sabor da surpresa. Gostei muito dos adornos e mesmo dos excessos. Este local dava muito mais fotos. belo flagrante, gostei da imagem, da luz, das cores, etc..

abra鏾s

jorge