Santo Domingo is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic. Its colonial Old town (Spanish Ciudad Colonial), which is located on the western bank of the Río Ozama, was in 1990 by UNESCO World Heritage explained to humanity.
 Santo Domingo | ||
| Santo Domingo | ||
| Country | Dominican Republic | |
|---|---|---|
| The search for a province ends with the state | ||
| Residents | approx. 1,500,000 (2011) | |
other value for residents on Wikidata: 2581827   | ||
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
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background
The city is located at the mouth of the Ozama River. Europeans settled here as early as 1496, and Christopher Columbus' brother Bartolomeo founded the first city in the New World here in 1498. This was still on the east bank of the river and was called La Nueva IsabelaWhen the settlement was almost destroyed by hurricanes in 1502 and there was also an ant plague, a new city with the current name was founded on the west bank and the old settlement was abandoned. The first cathedral in America was also built here, the foundation stone was laid in 1521 and the church was consecrated in 1540. Through Pope Paul III. it was elevated to the status of the first archbishop's cathedral in the New World in 1546. This cathedral is still today the seat of the Archbishop for the Catholic Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. The first university on the American continent was also founded here in 1538. The Hospital San Nicolás de Bari, the first hospital on American soil, was also built here.
Districts
- Distrito Nacional: Most of the city with the official name Santo Domingo de Guzman lies on the area of 104.4 km² Distrito Nacional. Within this large area with the government district are of tourist interest:
- Ciudad Colonial, the colonial old town at the mouth of the Ozama River, it only takes up a relatively small part of this area and can be explored on foot.
- Today's city center, called Poligono Central lies between the Winston Churchill-Avenue in the west, the J.F.Kennedy-Avenue (DR1) to the north, the avenue 27 de Febrero (DR3) in the south and the Maximo Gomez-Avenue (Estadio de Beisbol) to the east. The city is very well developed with the metro.
- Santo Domingo Province: It includes the Distrito Nacional and was only split off from it in 2001. It has about 2 million inhabitants and, together with the actual city, forms a metropolitan area with over a third of the total population of the Dominican Republic.
- Santo Domingo Norte with the Villa Mela district
- Santo Domingo Oeste (West)
- Santo Domingo Este. In this district on the east bank of the Ozama is the Parque del Este, on the grounds of which the 2003 Pan American Games were held. On the edge of this park is that too Faro a Colon.
getting there
By plane
- The airport Aeropuerto Internacional La Isabela
(IATA: JBQ), also Joaquin Balaguer Aitport, is 20 km north of the city - The airport Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas(IATA: SDQ), is located about 40 km to the east Boca Chica.
- Condor flies three times a week from Frankfurt am Main to Sto. Domingo
In the street
- Autopista las Américas (DR3): Cities Boca Chica, La Romana (125 km), Punta Cana (215 km)
- Autopista Juan Pablo Duarte (DR1): Santiago de los Caballeros (150 km)
By boat
- Port of Puerta de San Diego on the Ozama Estuary
- port La Romana
mobility
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Malecón (Avenida George Washington). Santo Domingo's promenade. There are some business hotels here. Very popular with the locals, especially on Sundays.
Ciudad Colonial
- 2 Cathedral "Santa María de la Encarnación".The house of God is the first cathedral built in America, hence the name Catedral Primada de America. The foundation stone for the church was laid in 1521 and it was consecrated in 1540. Through Pope Paul III. it was elevated to the status of the first archbishop's cathedral in the New World in 1546. Under Pope Benedict XV it became the Catedral Santa María la Menor. The long side of the cathedral borders the Parque Colon and is accessible from there through a side entrance. Gothic and Renaissance elements can be found in their architectural style. The church was thoroughly renovated by 1992 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America and is presented in light limestone, on the left and right aisles are a total of 14 very different chapels, donated by wealthy citizens of the city. Up to that time the church was also housed by Christopher Columbus, after which they were moved to the new one Faro de Colon convicted.
- 3 Alcazar de Colón.The house was built in 1510-1514 by Diego Colón, the son of Christopher Columbus, who then resided here as the Spanish viceroy. The two-storey building has a flat roof, the only outstanding style element are the arcades. Today's building is largely no longer original, it was restored true to the original around 1950. The objects on display do not come from Santo Domingo either, but they are all from the right era. Nevertheless, this mediates Museo Virreinal with a total of 22 rooms a good overview of the living conditions at that time. The house stands next to the fortifications on the banks of the Ozama in Plaza Espana.
- 4 Panteón Nacional (Panteón de la Patria).From Alcazar de Colón leads the paved Calle de las Damas further into the old town. One of its most striking buildings was built in 1714 and served as a Jesuit church from 1746-1767, after which it was used as a theater. Under the rule of the dictator Trujillo, the building was converted into a national mausoleum. At that time, the capital also became 1936-1961 Ciudad Trujillo The remains of some important citizens of the country have found their final resting place in this national memorial, some of them were imprisoned under Trujillo.
- 5 Fortaleza Ozama.At the southern end of the Calle de las Damas the Fortaleza Ozama is the oldest military building in America. The Torre del Hommenaje or homage tower towers over the medieval fortress. It was built between 1502 and 1506 to protect the mouth of the Rio Ozama and the old town from pirates. The chambers in the building served as a prison until 1960.
Museums
- Museo Atarrazanas Reales
- Museo Casa de Tostado
- Museo del Larimar, at Parque Colón.
- 6 Museo Mundo del Ámbar
- Museo de la Porcelana
- Trampoline Museum
miscellaneous
- 7 Puerta del Conde.Gate of the former city fortifications at Parque de la Independencia.
- Parque de la Independencia. With the Altar de la Patria, a mausoleum made of white marble.
- Royal Sundial
- Ruinas de San Francisco. Monasterio San Francisco.
- La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia
- Ruinas del Hospital San Nicolas de Bari
- La Casa de Bastidas
- Hostal Nicolás de Ovando
Poligono Central
- National History and Geography Museum (Museo Nacional de Historia y Geografía), Plaza de la Cultura.
- Modern Art Museum (Museo de Arte Moderno)
Santo Domingo Este
Faro a Colon
The building is in the Parque Mirador del Este. It should be a lighthouse for Columbus, outwardly it is a huge stepped structured concrete block, 210 m long, 59 m wide and 10 stories high. The cross-shaped floor plan indicates the Christianization of America. 157 spotlights illuminate the night sky.
The idea for this structure goes back to 1914, and in 1923 the decision was made to build such a monument on the ground of the first city in America. It was finished in 1992, just 6 days before the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. The remains of Columbus are said to have been kept inside, but this is also claimed in Seville. In the 50 rooms of the museum there are exhibits from the history of all American states.
Museums
You can find an overview of prices and opening times of the museums here.
- Natural History Museum (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural)
- Museo del Hombre Dominicano
- Museo Casa Fuerte Juan Juan Ponce de León
- Museo Fortaleza San Felipe
- Museo de la Cerámica Contemporánea
- Radio and TV Museum (Museo de la Radio y T.V. “Lulio Moscoso”)
- Museo Numismático y Filatélico, in the central bank.
- Museo del Dibujo Contemporáneo
- Museo Casa de Duarte
- Museo La Vega Vieja
- Museo Hermanas Mirabal
- Museo del Ámbar Dominicana
- Museo Imágenes de la Frontera
- Museo Cándido Bidó
- Museo de Arte Taino
- Museo Arqueológico La Caleta
- Museo Elupina Cordero
- Museo Arqueológico Altos de Chavón
- Museo Histórico de Baní
- Museo de la Cofradía del Espiritu Santo de Mata los Indios
- Museo Histórico y Arqueológico “Dr. Estrada Torres ”
- Casa Museo Generalísimo Máximo Gómez
- Museo Cueva de las Maravillas
- Museo de la Restauración
- Museo la Isabela
- Centro León
- Sala de Arte Prehispanico
activities
shop
There are numerous large department stores on Avenida Juan Pablo Duarte (in the Parques Enriquilo area). At Parques Enriquilo there is also a market where mainly clothing and electronic media are sold.
Special products:
- Larimar, a blue-white-colored opaque gem stone that is found almost exclusively in the south of the Dominican Republic. It is offered in a number of souvenir shops in the city.
- Amber is mainly used at the Costambar, found on the Amber Coast in the north of the country. It is sold in many shops in the city, there are also quite rare red and black amber and stones with rare inclusions.
kitchen
nightlife
- 1 Fenix bar, Calle El Conde 60. Good drinks and more in the quieter part of Calle El Conde.Features: Italian cuisine, cocktails.
accommodation
- Hotel Nicolás de Ovando (Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando), Calle Las Damas. Located right in the colonial old town of Santo Domingo. There is a courtyard with a restaurant and pool. View of the Rio Ozama.Characteristic: ★★★★★.
Learn
With its four universities and a technology institute, the city is the educational center of the Dominican Republic.
Work
security
health
Practical advice
trips
literature
Web links
- Tourist guide and information of Santo Domingo and the Dominican Republic (Spanish)
- Dominicana Online, República Dominicana
- Ayuntamento del Distrito Nacional Official website of the National District, Spanish
