Colonial City of Santo Domingo Dominican Republic

Colonial City of 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. The first impression of the Spanish colonizers was favourable: the nature was luxuriant; the aborigines were friendly, and it seemed that the ground was rich in gold. Using what was left of the Santa María, Columbus built the fort of the Nativity (Navidad) on the northern coast of the island not far away from a peak that he called Christi Mount, leaving 39 men there under the protection of the village head.

Colonial City of Santo Domingo
Continent: North America
Country: Dominican Republic
Category: Cultural
Criterion: (II)(IV) (VI)
Date of Inscription: 1990

The Recreation

When Columbus returned to Hispaniola a year later, the fort had been destroyed, his men were dead, and the aborigines had become mistrustful. He founded a new colony further to the east, which he called Isabella, and left it under the control of Bartholomew. However, the first revolts were very soon to begin.

Colonial City of Santo Domingo Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo Cathedral

Browse Gallery Plus UNESCO Storyline

Abandoned

In 1496, Bartholomew abandoned Isabella in order to move on the southern coast of the island, where he established the settlement of Nueva Isabella, now Santo Domingo, on the left bank of the Ozama River. Because of the insurrections that continued to upset the island, Columbus was replaced as Viceroy and Governor of the colony by Nicolás de Ovando. In 1502 a typhoon destroyed the city and the fleet that was preparing to return to Castile. Ovando decided that the city should be completely rebuilt on its present site on the Ozama.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site


Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in . The original UNESCO inscription Here!!!

Popular posts from this blog

UNECSO includes the Lenskie Stolby Natural Park

Image
UNECSO has included the natural park "Lenskie Stolby" in Yakutia (a region in Siberia) in its World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. This decision was taken after 10 years of inspections. This is already the 25th site in Russia that has been included in this list. The "Lenskie Stolby" Natural Park The name of the park, "Lenskie Stolby", means "pillars on the river of Lena". These are lime rock pillars of a peculiar form, up to 100 meters high, which line the bank of Lena. The site, which attracts many tourists, is situated in about 100 kms from the city of Pokrovsk. The "Lenskie Stolby" natural park occupies nearly 500,000 hectares.
More »

World Heritage Rock-Hewn Churches Lalibela

Image
There are 11 monolithic cave churches that were built on 13th century by the King Lalibela. Only 4 cave churches were finished and the remains are still unfinished. These churches and its surroundings are called 'New Jerusalem'. Lalibela is a high place of Ethiopian Christianity, still today a place of pilmigrage and devotion. The World famous Church of Saint George, Lalibela is one of the finished churches.The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are a UNESCO World heritage site. Continent: Africa Country: Ethiopia Category: Cultural Criterion: (I)(II) (III) Date of Inscription: 1978
More »

Holy City Demands UNESCO Heritage Status

Image
The local NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch has demanded from Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to bring pass a resolution in the state Assembly asking the Centre to approach UNESCO for heritage status to the 'holy city' of Amritsar. Heritage status to the holy city Amritsar In a letter written letters to Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and a copy to local MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, the NGO asked them to bring the resolution in the upcoming budget session of Vidhan Sabha. Charanjit Singh Gumtala President of the Manch said Chief Minister had given a public statement in 2009 promising that his party would bring this resolution in the Assembly, and after getting approval in the house it will be forwarded to the Centre with request to grant heritage status to the holy city. But even after lapsing of so much time no headway had been made'', stated Gumtala.
More »