UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic has 1 site on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1 cultural), the first inscribed in 1990 (Colonial City of Santo Domingo). The map below plots it alongside the rest of the List, and each site is written up in full further down the page.
- World Heritage Sites
- 1
- Cultural
- 1
- Natural and Mixed
- 0
- First Inscribed
- 1990
Map of World Heritage Sites in Dominican Republic
CulturalNaturalMixedIn DangerLarge dots are in Dominican Republic. Click a dot to read about the site.
Colonial City of Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic · 18.4730° N, 69.8830° W · 1 km² · 2 km from Santo Domingo
Ciudad Colonial (Spanish pronunciation: [sjuˈðað koloˈnjal]; lit. 'Colonial City') is the historic central neighborhood of the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo. It is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the Americas. The area has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is also known as Zona Colonial (Colonial Zone) or more colloquially as "La Zona" (The Zone).
The Ciudad Colonial is located on the west bank of the Ozama River, which bisects the city. It covers 1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi) bounded by a walled perimeter. It is an important section of the city due to the high number of landmarks, including Alcázar de Colón, Fortaleza Ozama, Catedral de Santa María la Menor, and others. The area is the main tourist attraction of Santo Domingo, even though the main sites of governmental and commercial activity are now in the more modern parts of the city.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Ciudad Colonial (Santo Domingo) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Why Colonial City of Santo Domingo Is Listed
- (ii)
- An important interchange of human values.
- (iv)
- An outstanding example of a type of building or landscape.
- (vi)
- A direct association with events, ideas or beliefs of universal significance.
More about Colonial City of Santo Domingo
UNESCO's Description
After Christopher Columbus's arrival on the island in 1492, Santo Domingo became the site of the first cathedral, hospital, customs house and university in the Americas. This colonial town, founded in 1498, was laid out on a grid pattern that became the model for almost all town planners in the New World.
From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).
History
The first settlement of what is now Santo Domingo was established by Bartholomew Columbus on the East bank of the Ozama River near the end of the 15th century. After the 1502 hurricane that claimed Francisco de Bobadilla among its victims; however, the city was relocated on the West bank under the leadership of Nicolás de Ovando. Ovando and his successor Diego Colón presided over the first constructions of the Colonial City, many of which still exist today. Santo Domingo's fortifications were an important feature of the urban landscape. The defense wall (muralla) extended from the Ozama River to the Puerta del Conde, which was the entrance to the hinterland and the Western boundary of the city until the late 19th century.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Ciudad Colonial (Santo Domingo) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Key Facts
| Area | 1.1 km² |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q2470834 (CC0).
World Heritage in Dominican Republic: Quick Answers
- How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in Dominican Republic?
- Dominican Republic has 1 World Heritage Site: 1 cultural.
- What was the first World Heritage Site in Dominican Republic?
- Colonial City of Santo Domingo, inscribed in 1990.
- Are any World Heritage Sites in Dominican Republic in danger?
- None of the World Heritage Sites in Dominican Republic is on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.