Historic Site · Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Ciudad Colonial
Ciudad Colonial is the historic central neighborhood of the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo. Built 1502.
Photo: Desox7x via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 1502 |
| Area | Area: 1.06 km² |
| Coordinates | 18.4833° N, 69.9167° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Ciudad Colonial is known for
Ciudad Colonial is the historic central neighborhood of the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo.
About Ciudad Colonial
Ciudad Colonial 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 covers 1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi) bounded by scattered, discontiguous portions of a largely demolished walled perimeter.
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, the city was relocated on the west bank under the leadership of Nicolás de Ovando, and Ovando and his successor Diego Colón presided over the first constructions of the Colonial City, many of which still exist today. The Spaniards used this settlement as the first point of influence in the Americas, from which they conquered other Caribbean islands and much of the mainland of the Americas. In 1655, the Ciudad Colonial was submitted to a siege led by the English officers William Penn and Robert Venables, and the invasion was thwarted by Spanish troops.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Santo Domingo |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | La Isabela International Airport (JBQ) |
| Distance from the airport | 7.6 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Las Américas International Airport (SDQ) · Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic · 16.7 miles away
- Casa De Campo International Airport (LRM) · La Romana, Dominican Republic · 65.9 miles away
- Cibao International Airport (STI) · Santiago, Dominican Republic · 77.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Ciudad Colonial?
Ciudad Colonial is the historic central neighborhood of the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo.
Where is Ciudad Colonial located?
Ciudad Colonial is in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Its coordinates are 18.4833° N, 69.9167° W.
How do I get to Ciudad Colonial?
The nearest town is Santo Domingo, and the nearest airport is La Isabela International Airport (JBQ), about 7.6 miles away (straight line).
When was Ciudad Colonial built?
Ciudad Colonial was built 1502.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_Colonial_(Santo_Domingo) — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2470834 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.