Let’s return to Calle Las Damas. The House of the Jesuits stands next to the National Pantheon, on the corner of Calle Las Damas and Calle Las Mercedes.
This is one of the fifteen stone houses built during the governorship of Nicolás de Ovando at the very beginning of the 16th century. In 1711, it was occupied by the Jesuit Order. Soon afterwards, it became home to the University of Santiago de la Paz y Gorjón, one of the earliest educational institutions established during the era of the Spanish monarchy.
Hernando Gorjón, the owner of a prosperous sugar plantation, left his fortune to create a centre of learning. The institution began as a college where grammar and logic were taught. The university continued to operate until the second half of the 18th century. Afterwards, the building passed back and forth between private owners and the state.
The House of the Jesuits is made up of several interconnected buildings linked by inner courtyards with graceful galleries.
Today, the complex houses departments of the Museum of the Royal Houses as well as the Dominican Development Foundation, which financed the restoration of this remarkable architectural ensemble. The people who work here today say that, from time to time, very strange — and occasionally rather eerie — sounds can be heard within these old walls. They attribute them to the restless souls of the monks who once lived here…
Let’s continue along Calle Las Damas. Just beyond the intersection with Calle Mercedes is what is perhaps one of the most fascinating museums in the Old City.