Near Punta Cana Higuey there was a place in the island of Espanola which was very important for the production of cazabe (or casabe) bread since the founding of the town of San Cristobal and the fort of Domingo in 1498. Many gold deposits were found in the river called Haina and the cacique (leader of the natives) of Higuey was very happy to provide "casabe" bread to help the Spanish with their food supplies. Later in history the apparent friendship between Spanish and the Indians got completely torn apart because of the frequent abuse of the Spanish people towards the natives which led to war between them.
The
capital of La Altagracia (eastern province), with the name of Salvaleón de
Higuey holds many features that are very
interesting for any tourist. The Basilica in Higuey (mainly
called Basilica Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia)
is one of the most
amazing architectures in the whole area and is also known as the altar of
La Virgen de la Altagracia. The Basilica was constructed around the 1971 and it
serves to honor the ancient church that was located there in 1572. One of
the most interesting aspects of this sanctuary is the paint of the Virgin
that was created around the 15 century by a Spanish painter. The pope John
Paul II blessed the entry of this church himself. This amazing monument has
a very profound religious meaning and is considered the most renowned
religious monument in the whole Dominican Republic.
Another interesting monument in the city of Higuey is the church of San Dionisio on which was built in 1572. This astounding piece of architecture is a remnant of the times when the Spanish came for the first time to the island of La Española and met the natives. The paint of the La Virgen de la Altagracia was originally on this church but was later moved to the Basilica.
One of the most popular places in Punta Cana Higuey is also the Iberia Supermarket which is one of the biggest stores in the area. The place sells about any item you see in any store like: food, clothes, souvenirs, electronic equipment and more.
Another aspect that you will notice in this city, just like in the rest of the Dominican Republic, is the fact that people drive mostly motorcycles and the amount of cars is lower. This is one of the reasons why is not advisable to rent a car in this place and is better to travel with the tour guide, especially since the people driving are not exactly very careful in this country.
In the video located below you will be able to see some actual streets of Higuey:
