Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo

The Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo is the first permanent European settlement in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1990). This historic 1.1 km² neighborhood preserves the highest concentration of Hispanic architecture in the Western Hemisphere, with cobblestone streets, colonial mansions, cathedrals, and centuries of Caribbean history.

Founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1496 and rebuilt by Nicolás de Ovando starting in 1502, the Colonial Zone was the New World's capital for decades and the base for conquests, explorations, and the Spanish diaspora across the Americas. Today it stands as living testimony to five centuries of Caribbean culture.