Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo de Guzman, usually called just Santo Domingo, was the first city founded by the Europeans in America. It is the capital of the Dominican Republic. It is cosmopolitan, vibrant and full of a deep historical past associated with the conquest of the Americas.

Located southeast of the island of Spain, the Dominican Republic island which it shares with Haiti, is washed by the waves and the breeze of the Caribbean Sea, giving the city a dynamic and friendly atmosphere, excellent for outdoor activities. The Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo de Guzman, a World Heritage site by UNESCO, includes the oldest building created by the Spanish in the New World.

Santo Domingo de Guzman was called Santo Domingo by Bartholomew Columbus, brother of Christopher Columbus.  The city was founded and the day was celebrated in Santo Domingo. Fray Bartolome and Oviedo were two great chroniclers of India.

In 1930, the city of Santo Domingo (excluding the Zona Colonial) was extensively damaged by the tropical hurricane of San Zeno. President Rafael Trujillo rebuilt the city and the name of Ciudad Trujillo after himself. After his assassination in 1961, Ciudad Trujillo, once again, became Santo Domingo de Guzman.

The name became Santo Domingo de Guzman in 1966, when this change appears in the Constitution of the Dominican Republic. Others say that the capital of the Dominican Republic has always taken the name of Santo Domingo de Guzman.

The demographics of Santo Domingo is similar to the rest of the country, except that the population of illegal immigrants (mostly Haitians) is larger in Santo Domingo due to the relative comfort of finding employment and economic dynamism of the city. The city of Santo Domingo also has communities of Asians, Arabs (mostly Lebanese), Europeans and Latin Americans. The population of Santo Domingo is 3 million in the metropolitan area, spread over 80 sq km in area.

Santo Domingo is bordered to the north with the Isabela River, to the east by the River Ozama, to the south the Caribbean Sea, and west from the river along the Carretera de Isabela Isabela to Autopista Duarte continuing up to the Kennedy and Luperon continuing to Luperon Prol. Independence Avenue, includes the development of Costa Azul.

The National District is the division that has the largest number of urban spaces. It is the largest metropolitan area and includes historical and large scale projects, which include: the Center for Heroes; the Olympic Center; the Colonial Zone; the Plaza de la Cultura; and the Parque Mirador Sur amongst others.