Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo on the map of the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital of the Dominican Republic and with a population of 2,987,013 in the city proper and 3,813,214 in the agglomeration (as of 2006) also the largest metropolis in the country. Santo Domingo and the approximately equal Havana, the capital of Cuba, also are the two largest cities in the West Indies in the Caribbean. Santo Domingo is the seat of an archbishop.

Geography

The city is situated on the south coast of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, at the mouth of the Río Ozama and the most important harbor of the Republic ( La Haina ).

Climate

The average temperature is 30,25 ° C on the day, at night 21.08 ° C. The annual rainfall 1385 mm and the average temperature of the water is 26.75 ° C. Humidity in summer: 90%

History

Santo Domingo has been inhabited since 1496 by Europeans, but was officially founded only in 1498 by Christopher Columbus' brother Bartolomeo at the mouth of the Ozama River and is the oldest, built by europeans in the New World. They first called La Nueva Isabela.

In 1502 it was re-established because of a hurricane and an ant plague by the then governor of the island, Nicolás de Ovando, on the west bank of the river Ozama, and received its present name. The newly founded town had for the first time on the floor plan of an ideal city, as it demanded the city builders of the Renaissance. The town, with its rectangular street pattern and a central square (Plaza de Armas or Plaza Mayor ) should be formative for all of the following start-up companies throughout Latin America.

The Basilica Menor de la Virgen de La Annunciation Cathedral is the oldest cathedral of America ( Cornerstone 1521, inaugurated 1540). In 1546 it was by Pope Paul III. applicable to the first archbishop's cathedral in the New World. She buried until 1992, the remains of Columbus, which were transferred to the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America in the new Faro a Colón. The cathedral is regarded as unfinished as the originally planned bell towers were not built.

1538 America's oldest university was opened. During the Trujillo dictatorship was called Santo Domingo from 1936 to 1961 Ciudad Trujillo.

Traffic

Las Américas International Airport is located near Santo Domingo. Since 30 January 2009, the Line 1 of the Santo Domingo Metro is operated. It is 14.5 km long, serving 16 stations.

Culture

UNESCO declared 1990 the historic old town (Spanish Ciudad Colonial ) on the western shore of the Río Ozama World Heritage of Humanity.

In 2003 were held in Santo Domingo, the 14th Pan American Games.

Attractions

Alcázar de Colón

At the Plaza de España with views over the Río Ozama is the 1510-1514 built under Diego Columbus Palace of the then Viceroy. Here was the seat of Spanish colonial government in the New World for six decades. After the death of María de Toledo, wife of Diego Colon, the palace was abandoned and fell into ruin. Only in the fifties of the 20th century it was restored and now houses the viceregal museum.

Monasterio de San Francisco

Ruins of the first monastery in the Americas

Museo de las Casas Reales

Former Governor's Palace, built as the administrative headquarters of the Spanish colonizers in the Americas, is now occasionally used for receptions and weddings.

Fortaleza Ozama

Oldest fort in America. This castle from the 16th century, was built above the port of Santo Domingo at the mouth of the Ozama River to defend the harbor entrance against enemies from the sea.

Faro a Colón

Cross -like monumental building made ​​of concrete, about 250 meters long from east to west and about 65 m in north-south direction, inaugurated in 1992 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the year of the discovery of America, one of the most visited monuments in the Dominican Republic. Impressive, especially at night when vertical columns of light of 157 lamps visible for miles projecting the large cross in the sky. Construction is expected to house the mortal remains of Christopher Columbus claimed this honor but also Seville in Spain for themselves.

Education

With four universities and an institute of technology, the city is an important educational center: ( all external links in Spanish)

  • Universidad Iberoamericana
  • Universidad Apec
  • Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
  • Universidad Dominicana O & M
  • Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo
  • Pontifical Catholic University of Santo Domingo

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Manuel del Cabral (1907-1999), writer
  • Michel Camilo (born 1954 ), pianist and composer in jazz and classical genre
  • Nicolás Casimiro (1911-1964), singer
  • Fausto Cepeda ( born 1939 ), opera singer
  • José Dolores Cerón (1897-1969), composer
  • Leonel Fernández ( born 1953 ), President of the Dominican Republic
  • Billo Frómeta (1915-1988), musician and conductor
  • Fernando Geraldes ( b. 1959 ), conductor, choir director, music teacher and singer
  • Jacinto Gimbernard ( born 1931 ), violinist and writer
  • Juan Luis Guerra ( born 1957 ), singer, guitarist and composer
  • Aristides Incháustegui ( born 1938 ), singer
  • Ninon de Brouwer Lapeiretta (1907-1999), composer
  • Frank Lendor ( b. 1939 ), opera bassist
  • Enrique de Marchena y Dujarric (1908-1988), composer and diplomat
  • Enrique Mejía Arredondo (1901-1951), composer and conductor
  • Elila Mena (1918-1970), pianist and music teacher
  • Luis Emilio Mena (1895-1964), composer and musician
  • Antonio Mesa (1895-1949), singer
  • Redimi2 ( born 1985 ), rapper
  • José Antonio Molina ( b. 1960 ), conductor, composer and pianist
  • Floralba del Monte ( born 1929 ), pianist and music teacher
  • José Enrique del Monte ( * 1935), choirmaster
  • Flerida de Nolasco (1891-1976), musical and literary scholar
  • Ramón Orlando ( b. 1960 ), Merenguemusiker
  • David Ortiz ( born 1975 ), baseball player
  • Esteban Peña Morell (1894-1938), composer
  • Carlos Piantini (1927-2010), violinist and conductor
  • Albert Pujols ( born 1980 ), baseball player in the St. Louis Cardinals
  • Milly Quezada ( b. 1955 ), Merenguesängerin
  • Dania Ramírez ( born 1979 ), actress
  • Manny Ramirez (born 1972 ), baseball player of the Los Angeles Dodgers
  • José de Jesús Ravelo (1876-1951), composer and music educator
  • Rafael Sánchez Cestero (1912-1999), singer
  • Francis Santana ( born 1929 ), singer
  • Mary Siragusa (1920-2002), pianist and music teacher
  • Salvador Sturla (1891-1975), composer and musician
  • Jorge Taveras ( born 1945 ), composer, arranger and conductor
  • Manuel Tejada ( born 1957 ), composer and arranger
  • Johnny Ventura ( born 1940 ), singer
  • Rafael Villanueva (1947-1995), conductor

Trivia

" Santo Domingo " was a very successful pop tracks by Wanda Jackson in the 1960s and has been covered by several artists.

Twinning

  • Rosario, Argentina
  • New York City, USA
  • Miami, USA
  • Madrid, Spain

Pictures

Botanical Garden of Santo Domingo

" Columbus Lighthouse " (front view)

Columbus monument in front of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

Seen Alcazar de Colon to Plaza de la Hispanidad from (2005)

Calle Las Damas (Street of Women )

The shopping street of Calle El Conde just before Christmas

The cultivated in the outskirts of Santo Domingo sugar cane is mainly processed in the sugar cane factory of La Romana

The obelisk on the malecon in Christmas decorations

Provinces of the Dominican Republic Bartholomew Columbus Atlantic hurricane 2003 Pan American Games Rosario (Santa Fe)
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