In 1976, a white mausoleum was built at Independence Park. Inside of Altar de la Patria are three marble sculptures of the country’s founding fathers by Nicholas Arrighini. They stand above the graves of La Trinitaria, the three most revered patriots of the Dominican Republic. On the left is Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, second in command during the Dominican War of Independence. In the middle is Juan Pablo Duarte, the founder of The Trinity. On the right is Matías Ramón Mella. He fired the first shot against the Haitian government soldiers. The collective efforts of these patriarchs led to the claim of independence on February 27, 1844.
