Columbus Lighthouse

A monumental cross-shaped mausoleum and museum in eastern Santo Domingo, built to mark the five-hundredth anniversary of Columbus's arrival. Rising from a low concrete platform, it projects a grid of light beams into the night sky in the shape of a cross when illuminated. Inside, a chapel is said to hold remains attributed to the explorer, and galleries present gifts and exhibits from nations across the Americas. The austere, fortress-like structure is one of the largest monuments in the Caribbean and dominates its riverside district.