The capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is the oldest permanent city established by Europeans in the Western Hemisphere. The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, while the country of Haiti occupies the western part. Santo Domingo lies on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic at the mouth of the Ozama River. Because of its historic buildings and rich history, Santo Domingo was declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations in 1990.

Places of interest

Santo Domingo has many buildings in its colonial section that date from the early 16th century, when Europeans first arrived in the Americas. One of the most famous is the Cathedral of Santa María la Menor. Considered to be the oldest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere, Santa María was begun in 1514 and completed some 20 years later. The cathedral is located on Santo Domingo's main square, the Parque Colón. Another famous site in the city is the Alcázar de Colón, which is a palace that dates from around 1514. Built by Diego Columbus, the son of Christopher Columbus, the palace is decorated in the same style as it was when Diego lived there.

The house of the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés is on the oldest street in the Western Hemisphere, the Calle de las Damas. Santo Domingo added another attraction in 1994. The Columbus Lighthouse Memorial is 800 feet (240 meters) tall and is said to hold the remains of Christopher Columbus inside.

The city is also the country's educational and cultural center. The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo was founded in 1538. The Museum of Dominican Man contains a collection of items dating from before European colonization to the present. Just outside of Santo Domingo is Boca Chica Beach, which is popular with both locals and tourists.

Economy

Government and business offices provide jobs for many people in Santo Domingo. Most industrial activity in the country takes place in Santo Domingo as well. The city's factories produce refrigerators, plastics, cement, chemicals, and clothing. With its large beaches, historic sites, and tropical climate, Santo Domingo is a popular resort area. Many people have jobs in the tourist industry working at hotels and restaurants and for travel agents and tour operators. In addition, the city is the main port of the Dominican Republic.

History

People have lived on the island of Hispaniola for thousands of years. However, the city of Santo Domingo was not founded until 1496, with the arrival of the Spaniards. Bartholomew Columbus, the brother of Christopher Columbus, made Santo Domingo the capital of the first Spanish colony in the New World. However, this original city was destroyed by a hurricane. In the early 16th century, Christopher Columbus' son Diego rebuilt Santo Domingo a few miles away. For a time, the city prospered as the administrative and political center of Spain's American colonies. However, after the Spanish conquered Peru and Mexico Spain's focus moved to other places and Santo Domingo became less important.

Between 1795 and 1809, Santo Domingo fell under French control. The city was then occupied again by the Spanish and later by the Haitians. In 1844, the people of the region claimed their independence, and Santo Domingo became the capital of the Dominican Republic.

The military dictator Rafael Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic beginning in 1930. His government changed Santo Domingo's name to Ciudad Trujillo in 1936. It was renamed Santo Domingo after Trujillo's assassination in 1961. In 1979 hurricanes caused tremendous damage to the city. Santo Domingo hosted celebrations in 1992 to honor the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas. Population (1993 estimate), 1,609,970.