Altos de Chavón
Encyclopedia
The biggest attraction in La Romana, Dominican Republic
, is Altos de Chavón, a re-creation of a medieval European village conceived from the imagination of Roberto Copa, a former Paramount Studios set designer, and Charles Bluhdorn
.
Its construction began in 1976 when the construction of a nearby road and bridge crossing the Chavón River
had to be blasted through a mountain of stone. Charles Bludhorn, chairman of Gulf+Western
, had the idea of using the stones to build a sixteenth century Mediterranean village. Construction was completed in the early 1980s.
Charles Bluhdorn's daughter, Dominique Bluhdorn, is the current president of the Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation. Narrow, cobble-covered alleyways lined with lanterns and shuttered limestone walls yield several good Mediterranean-style restaurants, a number of quaint shops featuring the diverse craftwork of local artisans, and three galleries exhibiting the talents of students from the on-site design school (La Escuela de Diseño, an affiliate of Parsons School of Design
in New York City). Notable attendees of the Altos de Chavón Design School have included Lisa Thon
and Mía Lourdes Taveras López.
Adding authenticity to the entire fantasy is the charming St. Stanislaus Church (Iglesia San Estanislao de Cracovia in Spanish) with its plaza and sparkling fountain that is a popular wedding venue. The Church of St Stanislaus was named after the patron saint of Poland
in tribute to Pope John Paul II
, who visited Santo Domingo
in 1979 and left some of the saint's ashes behind. It was in this church that Louis Alphonse, Duke of Anjou
married Venezuelan heiress Maria Margarita de Vargas y Santaella on November 6, 2004.
A Roman-styled 5,000-seat amphitheater hosts 20th century musical acts—The Pet Shop Boys, Frank Sinatra, and Julio Iglesias to name a few—while Génesis nightclub provides a popular dance venue for guests from the Casa de Campo
resort nearby. Visitors shouldn’t miss the Regional Museum of Archaeology (El Museo Arqueológico Regional), an astonishing collection of pre-Columbian Indian artifacts unearthed in the surrounding area. Altos de Chavón overlooks Rio Chavón and the Dye Fore golf course of Casa de Campo; both built by former Gulf+Western chairman Charles Bluhdorn. There are rumorss that Apocalypse Now
was filmed on the Rio Chavón, although the movie was actually filmed in the Philippines.
To Have Access to Altos de Chavon, there is an entrance Fee of US$25.00 per person, no tour guide included.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, is Altos de Chavón, a re-creation of a medieval European village conceived from the imagination of Roberto Copa, a former Paramount Studios set designer, and Charles Bluhdorn
Charles Bluhdorn
Charles Blühdorn was a Vienna, Austria-born American industrialist.-Biography:Per a Who's Who in Ridgefield he was considered such a "hellion" that his father sent the 11-year-old to an English boarding school for disciplining...
.
Its construction began in 1976 when the construction of a nearby road and bridge crossing the Chavón River
Chavón River
- Film shot on the Chavón River :* 1976-1977: Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola-References:* The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. 2000.**...
had to be blasted through a mountain of stone. Charles Bludhorn, chairman of Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
, had the idea of using the stones to build a sixteenth century Mediterranean village. Construction was completed in the early 1980s.
Charles Bluhdorn's daughter, Dominique Bluhdorn, is the current president of the Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation. Narrow, cobble-covered alleyways lined with lanterns and shuttered limestone walls yield several good Mediterranean-style restaurants, a number of quaint shops featuring the diverse craftwork of local artisans, and three galleries exhibiting the talents of students from the on-site design school (La Escuela de Diseño, an affiliate of Parsons School of Design
Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School For Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City's Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane...
in New York City). Notable attendees of the Altos de Chavón Design School have included Lisa Thon
Lisa Thon
Lisa Thon is a fashion designer born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After graduating from high school, Thon began her studying fashion at the Altos de Chavón in Dominican Republic and completed her Bachelors Degree at Parsons School of Design in New York City....
and Mía Lourdes Taveras López.
Stanislaus of Szczepanów
Stanislaus of Szczepanów, or Stanisław Szczepanowski, was a Bishop of Kraków known chiefly for having been martyred by the Polish king Bolesław II the Bold...
in tribute to Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, who visited Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
in 1979 and left some of the saint's ashes behind. It was in this church that Louis Alphonse, Duke of Anjou
Louis Alphonse, Duke of Anjou
Prince Louis Alphonse of Bourbon, Duke of Anjou was not originally among his given names ; born 25 April 1974, Madrid) is a member of the historically royal dynasty of the House of Bourbon, and one of the current pretenders to the defunct crown of France...
married Venezuelan heiress Maria Margarita de Vargas y Santaella on November 6, 2004.
A Roman-styled 5,000-seat amphitheater hosts 20th century musical acts—The Pet Shop Boys, Frank Sinatra, and Julio Iglesias to name a few—while Génesis nightclub provides a popular dance venue for guests from the Casa de Campo
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic
In 1975 Gulf+Western developed of its Central Romana sugar mill's land into the Casa de Campo resort. Situated in La Romana on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic, Casa de Campo is a Ponderosa-style, tropical seaside resort.The first to enjoy the luxuries of this enclave were friends of...
resort nearby. Visitors shouldn’t miss the Regional Museum of Archaeology (El Museo Arqueológico Regional), an astonishing collection of pre-Columbian Indian artifacts unearthed in the surrounding area. Altos de Chavón overlooks Rio Chavón and the Dye Fore golf course of Casa de Campo; both built by former Gulf+Western chairman Charles Bluhdorn. There are rumorss that Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American war film set during the Vietnam War, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The central character is US Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard , of MACV-SOG, an assassin sent to kill the renegade and presumed insane Special Forces...
was filmed on the Rio Chavón, although the movie was actually filmed in the Philippines.
To Have Access to Altos de Chavon, there is an entrance Fee of US$25.00 per person, no tour guide included.
Notable events held at the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater
- August, 1982: Concert for the AmericasConcert for the AmericasThe Concert for the Americas was a music festival held on August 20, 1982 in the Dominican Republic. It was held at the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater, a 5000-seat open-air Greek-style amphitheater located about two hours east of Santo Domingo, that was inaugurated by the festival.Performers...
, inaugural concert, performers included Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
with Buddy RichBuddy RichBernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
, HeartHeart (band)Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
and SantanaSantana (band)Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill... - 1992: Toque ProfundoToque ProfundoToque Profundo, sometimes referred to as Toque, or TP, is a rock group from the Dominican Republic, the most successful of the local Dominican bands to date in the late 80s and 90s...
performed at the "Rock Sobre Las Piedras" - April 7, 2001 Duran DuranDuran DuranDuran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
Sold Out concert produced by Pedro Garcia. - December 14, 2002: Luis MiguelLuis MiguelLuis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Mexican singer. He is widely known only by the name Luis Miguel and is often referred to as "El Sol de México"...
performs the final show of his Mis Romances TourMis Romances TourThe Mis Romances Tour was a concert tour performed by Luis Miguel during the year 2002 to promote his last album Mis Romances . He sang 60 concerts during this tour... - September 2004: Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
films part of her video for Karma - October 30, 2004: The Pet Shop Boys
- March 27, 2005: The Skip Festival with AlphavilleAlphaville (band)Alphaville is a German synthpop group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold , Bernhard Lloyd , and Frank Mertens Alphaville is a German synthpop group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold (real name Hartwig Schierbaum,...
, KansasKansas (band)Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
and Air SupplyAir SupplyAir Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s... - March 25, 2006: Aventura records a sold out show which becomes one of the DVDs shipped with K.O.B. Live
- April 26, 2006: Juan Luis GuerraJuan Luis GuerraJuan Luis Guerra is a singer, songwriter and producer from the Dominican Republic who has sold over 30 million records, and won numerous awards including 12 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards...
was invited to sing FragileFragile (song)"Fragile" is a song composed by English musician Sting from his 1987 album ...Nothing Like the Sun. Released as a single the following year, it placed to number 70 on the UK Singles Chart. Sung additionally in both Spanish and Portuguese under the title Fragilidad, it appeared twice more on his...
with Sting on the Broken Music tour - March 31, 2007: Julio IglesiasJulio IglesiasJulio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
- July 14, 2007: ErasureErasureErasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
performs a concert on their Light at the End of the World LiveLight at the End of the World LiveLight at the End of the World Live is a small-venue concert tour by Erasure, held across North America and Europe, in support of their album of the same name. The tour kicked off in Tampa, Florida, and is scheduled to end in Munich, Germany...
tour - April 30, 2009: Andrea BocelliAndrea BocelliAndrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
Performs a concert of his Incanto TourIncantoIncanto is the twelfth studio album by Classical Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, released November 4, 2008, coinciding with his 50th birthday. The album, a personal tribute to the musical traditions of his homeland, features mainly Neapolitan love songs from Bocelli's childhood.The two disc set also... - May 29, 2010: Induction ceremony for the inaugural class of the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame
- April 30, 2011: Duran DuranDuran DuranDuran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
- All You Need Is Now TourAll You Need Is Now TourAll You Need Is Now Tour is an ongoing worldwide concert tour by English New Wave band Duran Duran in support of the group's 13th studio album, All You Need Is Now, which was released exclusively on iTunes on 21 December 2010 and the expanded physical album and various format special packages will...
produced by Pedro Garcia.