Tenares, What To See In This Beautiful Town?

Tenares is one of the three municipalities of the Hermanas Mirabal province of the Dominican Republic.

Tenares is located in the southeastern part of the province facing the Cordillera Septentrional.

It is bordered to the west by the head municipality of Salcedo, to the north by the province of Espaillat, and to the south and east by the province of Duarte.

The town was founded on October 20, 1910 by Don Julian Javier de la Cruz who urbanized his farm.

Throughout the years, this town has had different names such as Arroyo Caña, Los Ranchos, Villa Luperón and Villa Tenares in honor of Olegario Tenares, hero of the Independence and Restoration.

It was declared a municipality in 1939 by dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo.

In the municipality of Tenares, fertile lands abound for the cultivation of coffee, cocoa, banana, avocado, corn, beans, tobacco, cassava and sweet potato.

Its economy is also driven by remittances, cattle and pig raising, and beekeeping.

Its patron saint festivities are celebrated every year from June 4 to 13 in honor of San Antonio de Padua.

Places and activities to see in Tenares

Until recently in this province there was not much to offer for tourists, however, nowadays it has certain sites of tourist interest:

Mirabal Sisters House Museum:

In the municipality of Salcedo, very close to Tenares, is the Casa-Museo de las Hermanas Mirabal. This was the residence where the sisters Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa Mirabal spent their last ten months before their tragic deaths on November 25, 1960.

This wooden house was declared a museum on December 8, 1994 by the Mirabal Sisters Foundation.

This place has four structures: the house museum, the typical wood-burning kitchen, the coffee and dry cocoa warehouse, and the administrative building that includes a library and a cafeteria.

The Mirabal Sisters’ house itself has been restored to preserve its original state. The story of these three national heroines and their resistance to the tyranny of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo is shown in photographs, plaques, ornaments, dresses and personal accessories that are exhibited inside.

The remains of the three sisters and Rufino de la Cruz rest in the garden. This space was declared as an extension of the National Pantheon.

This house was used for the filming of the movie “En el Tiempo de las Mariposas”, a historical film starring actress Salma Hayek that focused on the lives of these heroines for whom the International Day of Non-Violence against Women is commemorated.

The Casa Museo de las Hermanas Mirabal is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

La Salcedo Scientific Reserve

Located in the northern part of the province, this area of cloud forest stands out for its water resources, geological structure and strong concentration of endemic plants.

In addition, it is the refuge of many endemic species of animals including the solenodon and the barrancolí.

La Paz Ecopark

An ecological space located in Ojo de Agua, it was inaugurated on the 50th anniversary of the death of the Mirabal Sisters.

It presents a familiar and relaxing environment where visitors can hike and learn more about the flora and fauna of our island.

Patron Saint Festivities of the town

The patron saint festivities are one of the most important activities of the town, and it is an impressive cultural display to see and appreciate.

The festivities to San Antonio de Padua, cataloged as the best in the country, have been celebrated from June 4 to 13 for 98 uninterrupted years, and are organized by a series of men and women, as well as diverse institutions and personalities that offer their unconditional support.