Ciudad Colonial
Ciudad Colonial de Santo Domingo
The old city of the first European colonial city in the Americas, listed as a World Heritage Site in 1990. It is home to the Americas' first cathedral, first street and first hospital.
The Colonial Zone was founded in 1498 by Bartholomew Columbus on the west bank of the Ozama River. It covers about 1 square km and preserves 16th-century stone churches, fortresses, palaces and a grid-pattern street layout. The main sights are all within walking distance: Calle El Conde, Columbus Park, the cathedral, Calle Las Damas, Plaza España and the Alcázar de Colón. You can take a sightseeing mini-train or join a guided bike tour, and the square's restaurants and bars are lively in the evening. Protect yourself from the sun, and avoid quiet streets at night.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Parque Colón
- Ruins of the Hospital San Nicolás de Bari
- Catedral Primada de América
- National Pantheon
- Calle Las Damas
- Convento de los Dominicos
- Museo de las Casas Reales
- Ruins of the Monastery of San Francisco