Dominican Realty
Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, estimated at 2,253,437 in 2006. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River. Founded by Christopher Columbus in 1496, it is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, and was the first seat of Spanish colonial rule in the New World.
Dating to 1496, when the Spanish settled there, and officially to 5
August 1498, Santo Domingo is the oldest European city in America.
Bartholomew Columbus founded the settlement and named it La Isabela,
after the Queen of Spain Isabella I. It was later renamed "Santo
Domingo", in honor of Saint Dominic.
Santo Domingo was destroyed by a hurricane in 1502, and the new
Governor Nicolás de Ovando had it rebuilt on a different site nearby.
The original layout of the city and a large portion of its defensive
wall can still be appreciated today throughout the Colonial Zone,
declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990.
The Colonial Zone,
bordered by the Río Ozama, also has an impressive collection of 16th
century buildings, including palatial houses and majestic churches that
reflect the architectural style of the late medieval period.
The
city's most important colonial buildings include the Catedral Santa
María La Menor, called La Catedral Primada de América, America's First
Cathedral, which states its distinction; the Alcázar de Colón,
America's first castle, once the residence of Viceroy of the Indies Don
Diego Colón, a son of Christopher Columbus; the Monasterio de San
Francisco, the ruins of the first monastery in America; the Museo de
las Casas Reales, the former Palace of the Governor General and the
Palace of Royal Audiences; the Parque Colón, a historic square; the
Fortaleza Ozama, the oldest fortress in America; the Pantéon Nacional,
a former Jesuit edifice now hosting the remains of various renowned
members of the Dominican Order; and the Iglesia del Convento Dominico,
the first convent in America.
Santo Domingo came to be known as the "Gateway to the Caribbean".
In 1930, the city of Santo Domingo (excluding the Colonial Zone) was
extensively damaged by tropical hurricane San Zenón. President Rafael
Trujillo reconstructed the city and named it Ciudad Trujillo after
himself. After his assassination in 1961, Ciudad Trujillo once again
became Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Santo Domingo is within the boundaries
of the Distrito Nacional (D.N.; "National District") and Santo Domingo
Province surrounds it.
Famous
landmarks in Santo Domingo include the Calle El Conde, the Puerta de la
Misericordia, the Catedral Santa María La Menor (Catedral Primada de
América), and the Alcázar de Colón, all of which are located within the
Zona Colonial district of the city. This part was declared a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1990.
Outside of the colonial quarters, the area surrounding the Malecón
(seawall) is a vibrant commercial and tourist center, having as a
centerpiece the large obelisk located at the eastern end of the George
Washington avenue.
Other places of interest are Plaza de la Cultura, which houses the
city's most important cultural venues such as the Teatro Nacional and
the Museo de Arte Moderno; the Palacio de Bellas Artes, a neoclassical
theatre that is the permanent home of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional
(National Symphony Orchestra); the Parque Mirador Sur, a six square
kilometers park in the southwestern part of the city; the Faro a Colón,
a cross-shaped lighthouse built in honor of Christopher Columbus; and
the Boulevard 27 de Febrero, a pedestrian promenade located on the busy
Avenida 27 de Febrero which displays many works of art from prominent
Dominican artists and sculptors.
Another attraction is the Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte a
sports complex in the center of Santo Domingo. This complex was used
during the 2003 Pan American Games.





