Santo Domingo

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This article is about the city. For other uses, see Santo Domingo (disambiguation).

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Note: "D.N." (Distrito Nacional) strictly refers to the city proper, i.e. excluding the surrounding Santo Domingo Province.
Santo Domingo
City
Santo Domingo de Guzmán
Santo Domingo (2011).
Santo Domingo (2011).
Flag of Santo Domingo
Flag		 Coat of arms of Santo Domingo
Coat of arms
Motto: "Ciudad Primada de América" (Spanish)
("First City of America")
Santo Domingo is located in the Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country  Dominican Republic
Province National District
Founded 1496 (528 years ago)
Founder Bartholomew Columbus
Government
 • Mayor Roberto Salcedo
Area[1]
 • Total 104.44 km2 (40.32 sq mi)
 • Metro 2,696.69 km2 (1,041.20 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 14 m (46 ft)
Population (December 2010[3])
 • Total 965,040
 • Density 9,200/km2 (24,000/sq mi)
 • Metro 2,907,100
Demonym(s) Spanish: Capitaleño (fem. Capitaleña)
Postal codes 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional)
10700–11999 (Santo Domingo)
Area codes 809, 829, 849
Website Ayuntamiento del Distrito Nacional

Santo Domingo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsanto ðoˈmiŋɡo] meaning "Saint Dominic"), known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic and the largest city in the Caribbean by population.[4] In 2010, its population was counted as 965,040, rising to 2,907,100 when its surrounding metropolitan area was included.[3] The city lies within the boundaries of the Distrito Nacional ("D.N.", "National District"), itself bordered on three sides by Santo Domingo Province.

Founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1496, on the east bank of the Ozama River and then moved by Nicolás de Ovando in 1502 to the west bank of the river, the city is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, and was the first seat of the Spanish colonial rule in the New World. Santo Domingo is the site of the first university, cathedral, castle, monastery, and fortress in the New World. The city's Colonial Zone was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.[5][6] Santo Domingo was called Ciudad Trujillo (Spanish pronunciation: [sjuˈðað tɾuˈhiʎo]), from 1936 to 1961, after the Dominican Republic's dictator, Rafael Trujillo, named the capital after himself. Following his assassination, the city resumed its original designation.

Santo Domingo is the cultural, financial, political, commercial and industrial center of the Dominican Republic, with the country’s most important industries being located within the city. Santo Domingo also serves as the chief seaport of the country. The city's harbor at the mouth of the Ozama River accommodates the largest vessels, and the port handles both heavy passenger and freight traffic. Temperatures are high year round, with a cool breeze around winter time.

History

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See also: Timeline of Santo Domingo and History of the Dominican Republic
Arrival of Christopher Columbus.

Prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, the native Taíno people populated the island which they called Quisqueya (mother of all lands) and Ayiti (land of high mountains), and which Columbus later named Hispaniola, including the territory of today's Republic of Haiti. At the time, the island's territory consisted of five chiefdoms: Marién, Maguá, Maguana, Jaragua, and Higüey.[7] These were ruled respectively by caciques (chiefs) Guacanagarix, Guarionex, Caonabo, Bohechío, and Cayacoa.

Dating from 1496, when the Spanish settled on the island, and officially from 5 August 1498, Santo Domingo became the oldest European city in the Americas. Bartholomew Columbus founded the settlement and named it La Nueva Isabela, after an earlier settlement in the north named after the Queen of Spain Isabella I.[8] In 1495 it was renamed "Santo Domingo", in honor of Saint Dominic. Santo Domingo came to be known as the "Gateway to the Caribbean" and the chief town in Hispaniola from then on.[9] Expeditions which led to Ponce de León's colonization of Puerto Rico, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar's colonization of Cuba, Hernando Cortes' conquest of Mexico, and Vasco Núñez de Balboa's sighting of the Pacific Ocean were all launched from Santo Domingo.

Ozama Fortress
Zona Colonial
National pantheon.

In June 1502,[10] Santo Domingo was destroyed by a major hurricane, and the new Governor Nicolás de Ovando had it rebuilt on a different site on the other side of the Ozama River.[11] The original layout of the city and a large portion of its defensive wall can still be appreciated today throughout the Colonial Zone, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

In 1586, Francis Drake captured the city and held it for ransom.[12] Drake's invasion signaled the decline of Spanish dominion over Hispaniola, which was accentuated in the early 17th century by policies that resulted in the depopulation of most of the island outside of the capital. An expedition sent by Oliver Cromwell in 1655 attacked the city of Santo Domingo, but was defeated. The English troops withdrew and took the less guarded colony of Jamaica, instead.[13] In 1697, the Treaty of Ryswick included the acknowledgement by Spain of France's dominion over the Western third of the island, now Haiti.

French and British ships fighting at the battle of Santo Domingo

From 1795 to 1822 the city changed hands several times along with the colony it headed. The city was ceded to France in 1795 after years of struggles, it was briefly captured by Haitian rebels in 1801, recovered by France in 1802, and was once again reclaimed by Spain in 1809. In 1821 Santo Domingo became the capital of an independent nation after the Criollo bourgeois within the country, led by José Núñez de Cáceres, overthrew the Spanish crown. The nation was unified with Haiti just two months later. The city and the colony lost much of their Spanish-born peninsular population as a result of these events which caused a great deal of instability and unrest.[12][14][15]

Juan Pablo Duarte.

On February 27, 1844 Santo Domingo was again the capital of a free nation, when it gained its independence from Haitian occupation, led by Dominican nationalist Juan Pablo Duarte. The city was a prize fought over by various political factions over the succeeding decades of instability. In addition, the country had to fight multiple battles with Haiti; the Battle of March 19, Battle of March 30, Battle of Las Carreras, and Battle of Beler, are a few of the most prominent encounters, mentioned in the national anthem and with city streets named after them.[16] In 1861 Spain returned to the country, having struck a bargain with Dominican dictator Pedro Santana whereby the latter was granted several honorific titles and privileges, in exchange for annexing the young nation back to Spanish rule. The Dominican Restoration War began in 1863 however, and in 1865 the country was free again after Spain withdrew.

Over the next two-thirds of a century Santo Domingo and the Dominican Republic went through many revolutions, power changes, and occupation by the United States, 1916–24. The city was struck by hurricane San Zenón in 1930, which caused major damage.[17] After its rebuilding, Santo Domingo was known officially as Ciudad Trujillo in honor of dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, who governed from 1930. Following his assassination in 1961 the city was renamed back to Santo Domingo. It was the scene of street fighting during the 1965 United States occupation of the Dominican Republic.

The year 1992 marked the 500th anniversary, El Quinto Centenario, of Christopher Columbus' Discovery of America. The Columbus Lighthouse – Faro a Colón – was erected in Santo Domingo in honor of this occasion, with an approximate cost of 400 million Dominican pesos .[18]

Geography

View of Santo Domingo from space, 2010.

The Ozama river flows 148 kilometres (92 miles) before emptying into the Caribbean Sea. Santo Domingo's position on its banks was of great importance to the city's economic development and the growth of trade during colonial times. The Ozama River is where the country's busiest port is located.

Climate

The average temperature in Santo Domingo varies little, because the tropical trade winds help mitigate the heat and humidity throughout the year. Thanks to these trade winds, Santo Domingo has a tropical climate but seldom experiences the heat that one may expect to find. December through March are the coolest months and July through September are the warmest. Santo Domingo averages 1,445 millimetres (56.9 in) of rain annually. Its driest months are from November through April, however, due to the trade winds and mountains to the southwest, rain is seen even during these months. Because its driest month is just below 60 millimetres (2.4 in), Santo Domingo falls under the tropical monsoon climate category under the Köppen climate classification. Like many other cities in the Caribbean, Santo Domingo is very susceptible to hurricanes. The lowest recorded temperature has been 13.0 °C (55.4 °F) and the highest 39.5 °C (103.1 °F).

Climate data for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (1961-1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 32.5
(90.5)		 32.4
(90.3)		 33.0
(91.4)		 34.5
(94.1)		 39.5
(103.1)		 35.7
(96.3)		 36.0
(96.8)		 35.0
(95)		 35.0
(95)		 35.3
(95.5)		 33.8
(92.8)		 33.0
(91.4)		 39.5
(103.1)
Average high °C (°F) 29.2
(84.6)		 29.2
(84.6)		 29.6
(85.3)		 30.2
(86.4)		 30.4
(86.7)		 30.8
(87.4)		 31.3
(88.3)		 31.5
(88.7)		 31.4
(88.5)		 31.1
(88)		 30.6
(87.1)		 29.6
(85.3)		 30.4
(86.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.4
(75.9)		 24.4
(75.9)		 24.9
(76.8)		 25.6
(78.1)		 26.3
(79.3)		 26.9
(80.4)		 27.0
(80.6)		 27.1
(80.8)		 27.0
(80.6)		 26.7
(80.1)		 26.0
(78.8)		 24.9
(76.8)		 25.9
(78.6)
Average low °C (°F) 19.6
(67.3)		 19.7
(67.5)		 20.2
(68.4)		 21.1
(70)		 22.2
(72)		 22.9
(73.2)		 22.8
(73)		 22.7
(72.9)		 22.7
(72.9)		 22.3
(72.1)		 21.4
(70.5)		 20.3
(68.5)		 21.5
(70.7)
Record low °C (°F) 13.0
(55.4)		 13.5
(56.3)		 14.0
(57.2)		 16.8
(62.2)		 16.0
(60.8)		 18.6
(65.5)		 18.5
(65.3)		 18.6
(65.5)		 19.4
(66.9)		 18.0
(64.4)		 16.7
(62.1)		 15.3
(59.5)		 13.0
(55.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 63.0
(2.48)		 56.8
(2.236)		 53.8
(2.118)		 71.9
(2.831)		 187.7
(7.39)		 140.1
(5.516)		 144.6
(5.693)		 177.4
(6.984)		 180.9
(7.122)		 186.8
(7.354)		 99.8
(3.929)		 84.3
(3.319)		 1,447.1
(56.972)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 7.6 6.3 6.3 7.0 11.3 10.3 11.4 12.0 11.8 13.0 9.4 9.0 115.4
Average relative humidity (%) 82.5 80.8 79.3 78.8 82.5 83.7 83.8 84.6 85.1 85.7 84.2 83.3 82.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 177.7 178.0 228.9 202.0 185.0 184.0 187.6 212.9 198.0 200.0 185.0 175.7 2,313.3
Percent possible sunshine 52 55 62 54 46 47 47 54 55 56 55 52 53
Source #1: World Meteorological Organization[19]
Source #2: NOAA (extremes and humidity)[20] / http://www.santo-domingo.climatemps.com (sunshine)

Cityscape

Panoramic view of Santo Domingo viewed from the south (Malecon Center)
Panoramic view of Santo Domingo viewed from midtown (Novo Centro)

Architecture

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See also: Ciudad Colonial (Santo Domingo)
Parque Colón.

Many of Santo Domingo's most notable landmarks are located within the Zona Colonial district of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. The Colonial Zone, bordered by the Río Ozama, also has an impressive collection of early 16th century buildings, including palatial houses and majestic churches that reflect the architectural style of the late Middle Ages.

Fortaleza Ozama

The city's most important historical buildings include the Catedral Santa María La Menor, called La Catedral Primada de América, America's First Cathedral, which states its distinction; the Alcázar de Colón, America's first castle, once the residence of Viceroy of the Indies Don Diego Colón, a son of Christopher Columbus; the Monasterio de San Francisco, the ruins of the first monastery in the Americas; the Museo de las Casas Reales, in a monumental complex that includes the former Palace of the Governors and the building of the former Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo; the Fortaleza Ozama, the oldest fortress in the Americas; the Pantéon Nacional, a former Jesuit edifice now hosting the remains of various renowned Dominicans; and the Dominican Convent, the first convent in the Americas.

Plaza de España.

On the north end of Calle Las Damas, the restored and expanded Plaza de España is bordered by Las Atarazanas (former naval yard, now a museum) and a number of small shops and restaurants. This area was the first European commercial center in the Americas, and is still a hub of activity today. The Alcázar de Colón, having once been the colonial palace of the Columbus family—beginning with his son Diego — is now a museum displaying period furniture and decorations. The building was originally built in 1510, and restored to its current appearance in 1952.

A 700 million US dollar investment was made in the Port of the Ozama river adjacent to the Ciudad Colonial aiming to turn Santo Domingo into a port of call for luxury cruise ships and including a privately owned marina. The project is being completed by Sans Soucí Ports S.A.

Neighborhoods

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See also: Distrito Nacional
Panoramic view of the National District.
Neighborhoods of Santo Domingo.

The city proper of Santo Domingo is subdivided into incorporated areas (neighbourhoods) called sectores which could be considered as small urban towns. All sectores are serviced directly by the municipal mayor's office.

Sector regions:

  • Ciudad (city) - applies to the original older parts of town, many of which date back to the colonial times.
  • Ensanche (lit. "widening") - usually, but not always, applied to the more "modern" parts of the city.
  • Villa (village) - the urban outskirts of both the old city of Santo Domingo and the current (smaller) National District; originally they were separate villages, hence their names.

Population

Young boys playing association football in the Santo Domingo’s middle-class neighborhood of Altos de Arroyo Hondo.

The demographics of Santo Domingo are similar to other metropolitan areas of the country, except that the population of illegal immigrants (mainly Haitians) is larger in the city because of the relative ease of finding work and the economic dynamism compared to other provinces. Santo Domingo, like most of the country, is made up of native-born Dominican mulattos, though there are large numbers of Afro-Dominicans and Euro-Dominicans, as well as a large immigrant community. In fact, over 20% of the city's population is immigrants, mainly Haitians. However, there are also recent immigrants from Europe, Asia, as well as other Latin American nations present in the city. The city of Santo Domingo has a significant community of Asians (mainly Chinese), Arabs (mostly Lebanese), and Europeans (mostly Spanish and Italian) are also present in the city. There are also significant numbers of Brazilians and Puerto Ricans, in the city, as well as US born Dominicans returning to their parents' home country. The northeast quadrant of the city is the poorest while the southwest is wealthier. Santo Domingo is also considered one of the epicenters of the growing Dominican middle-class. The city is one of most economically developed cities in Latin America. Santo Domingo's population in 2010 was 3.8 million in the metropolitan area.

Government and politics

The National Palace, in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo is the center of the national government of the Dominican Republic. The President's office and ministries, National Congress, Supreme Court of Justice, and other main government institutions are located in the metropolitan area.

The city is administered by the Ayuntamiento del Distrito Nacional (City Hall), which is responsible for municipal functions.[21] The current mayor of Santo Domingo is Roberto Esmérito Salcedo, of the governing Dominican Liberation Party.

The "Policía Nacional" (National Police) and "Policia Turística" (Tourist Police) (POLITUR) are tasked with enforcing city safety.

Economy

The city is the center of economic activity in the Dominican Republic. It is where most of the country's wealth is concentrated and also where everything related to politics occurs. Many national and international firms have their headquarters or regional offices in Santo Domingo. The city attracts many international firms and franchises such as Ikea, Goldcorp and Barrick due to its geographic location and economic stability.

Silver Sun Gallery mall and hotel, 2012.

The infrastructure is suitable for most business operations. A key element that has helped the city grow and compete globally is the telecommunications infrastructure. The Dominican Republic has a modern telecommunications system due to its privatization and integration with the U.S. systems. This has attracted numerous call centers in recent years. Santo Domingo not only has an excellent telecommunications infrastructure but also a sizeable bilingual population that speaks English.

The city's economic growth has been very noticeable in recent years. The construction boom is reflected in luxury residential towers, shopping malls, elevated highways, the metro expansion and an increase in commercial activity.

Santo Domingo has a thriving middle class but it also has pockets of poverty located on the outskirts of the city. Areas of high income families are found in the central Polygon of the city, which is bordered by the Avenida John F. Kennedy northward February 27 Avenue south, Avenida Winston Churchill to the west and Avenida Máximo Gómez to the east, and is characterized by its mostly residential area and its very active nightlife .

Santo Domingo has areas of high development, among them Serralles, Naco, Arroyo Hondo, Piantini, Urb Fernandez, " Ens. Juliet, Paradise, The Prairies, Los Prados, Bella Vista, Sarasota and other sectors, which consist mostly of costly buildings and luxury houses, contrasting with the outskirts of the city as Gualey and Capotille which are significantly less economically developed .

Bella Vista and La Esperilla are currently the fastest growing sectors with large mega -projects. Gazcue belongs to the more traditional southeastern area of the city and is known for its buildings dating from the 1930s to the 1960s.

The city's shopping centers are located primarily on Avenida Winston Churchill, where there are places such as Acropolis Center, Blue Mall, and large supermarkets. It is also the home of the largest commercial banks, such as Banco Popular Dominicano, Scotiabank, Citibank, Banco BHD, Banco del Progreso, Banreservas, among others. February 27 Avenue is very commercially successful and is considered the most important avenue of the city. The oldest malls in the country are Plaza Central and Plaza Naco, the latter served as the first shopping center in the city. Bella Vista Mall is one of the newest malls built in the city, which attracts many high-income families. The city has an established securities market in the late 90s.

Commercial centers

Culture

The performing arts are very important in Santo Domingo. The city has its own symphonic orchestra, chamber orchestra, opera company, ballet company, folkloric company, and national theater, including a number of smaller groups. The Plaza of culture is the center of activity, but there are concerts, ballet, folklore, and other performances throughout the city. Casa de Teatro is the gathering place of avant garde artists, actors, and musicians. It stages art and literature exhibitions and offers painting, drama, and dancing courses and monthly contests for poetry, short stories, and other forms of literature.

Museo de las Casas Reales
Alcázar de Colón.

Santo Domingo is the location of numerous museums, many of which are located in the Zona Colonial district.[18] In the Zona Colonial is the Museum of Alcázar, in Diego Colon's restored palace,[22] the Museum of the Casas Reales, with artefacts of the colonial period and a collection of ancient weapons donated by Trujillo,[23] the Naval Museum of the Atarazanas, in the former naval yards, Museo de la Catedral, Museo Memorial de la Resistencia Dominicana, documenting the struggle for freedom during the regimes of Trujillo and Balaguer, Museo Duarte, dedicated to the hero of Dominican independence, and the World of Ambar Museum.

Museo del Ámbar

Plaza de la Cultura also houses the city's most important cultural venues, including the Teatro Nacional (National Theater) and various museums; the Palacio Nacional, which houses the Presidency of the Dominican Republic; the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), a neoclassical building that is the permanent home of the country's National Symphony Orchestra; and the Boulevard 27 de Febrero, a pedestrian promenade located on the busy Avenida 27 de Febrero, which displays works of art from prominent Dominican artists and sculptors. Another attraction is the Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte, a sports complex in the center of Santo Domingo. This complex was used during the 2003 Pan American Games.

In the Plaza de la Cultura are the Museum of the Dominican Man, with artifacts from the pre-Columbian Taíno civilization, the National Museum of History and Geography, the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art. Other museums include the Museo Bellapart, a prominent private collection of 19th- and 20th-Century Dominican painting and sculpture and the Museo Prehispanico, a major private collection of pre-Columbian Taíno art.[24]

Parks and recreational areas

The city has various parks, many of which are relatively large. Santo Domingo (D.N) is surrounded by the Santo Domingo Greenbelt. Mirador Norte Park lies in the north of the city, close to Villa Mella and Mirador Sur Park is located in the southwest section of the city. Mirador del Este is located on the East bank of the Ozama river and it is the seat of the Columbus Lighthouse. Independencia Park and Colón Park are located in Zona Colonial.

National Botanical Garden.

Other notable parks include:

Health

Education

There are eighteen universities in Santo Domingo, the highest number of any city in the Dominican Republic. Established in 1538, the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD) is the oldest university in the Americas and is also the only public university in the city.[25][26] Santo Domingo holds the nation's highest percentage of residents with a higher education degree.[citation needed]

Entrance of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD)

Other universities include:

Transportation

Roads and highways

Santo Domingo is the terminus for four of the five national highways. The city is connected to the southwest of the country by the national highway DR-2 (Avenida George Washington and Autopista 30 de Mayo), and with the cities of the country's northwest by DR-1 (Expreso Kennedy, Corredor Duarte), which serves as a direct link to the city of Santiago de los Caballeros. DR-3 (Expreso 27 de Febrero/Autopista de Las Américas) connects Santo Domingo directly to the east of the country, including the cities of San Pedro de Macorís, La Romana, and major tourist sites such as Punta Cana and Bávaro, and to the Samaná Province (in the northeast) via the Samana Highway. In the city, motoconchos (motorcycle taxis), guaguas/voladoras (low quality public buses), and carros públicos/conchos (shared taxis) are common modes of transport.

Main avenues

John F. Kennedy: It crosses the National District from east to west in the north-central part. The Avenue consists of a total of ten lanes, five on each side. The two center lanes of the road are express lanes to facilitate transit. It also has several bypasses and elevated crossings.

February 27: It crosses the National District from east to west in the central part of Santo Domingo. It starts at the Juan Bosch bridge and crosses the entire city until the roundabout at the Plaza de la Bandera, which extends into the town of Santo Domingo West and ends on the Duarte Highway . The thoroughfare is composed of a total of ten lanes. Five on each side. The four lanes in the center of the avenue are express that facilitate transit in the city from east to west, with several elevated cross streets, overpasses and tunnels. It also has exclusive bus lanes.

Bolivar: It extends from Independence Park to the junction with the Avenue Winston Churchill. In its entirety, this avenue is composed of two local lanes one-way east- west.

Independencia: It extends from the intersection with Avenida Gregorio Luperon to Independence Park. The avenue consists of a total of four lanes (two eastbound and two westbound ) from crossing with Av G. Luperon to the intersection of Avenida Italia . From the junction with Av Italy until Independence Park Avenue becomes one-way eastbound and contains only two lanes.

George Washington av.

George Washington: It is popularly known as "El Malecon ". This is Santo Domingo's maritime Boulevard. This avenue borders the city's coastline. It extends from Palo Hincado Street to the intersection with Lincoln Avenue ; from that point to the Haina River Highway May 30 extends also includes President Billini Walk, which starts in Palo Hincado street and joins the Avenida del Puerto along the western bank of the Ozama River. Throughout its entire length it is composed of four lanes (two on each side ) . On this Boulevard you will find the most exclusive hotels in the city, several casinos, the mixed business and residential high rise complex Malecon Center, the obelisk and Eugenio María Hosto Park . This is also the Boulevard where the Santo Domingo Carnival parade takes place.

Winston Churchill: It extends from Kennedy Avenue to Avenida 27 de Febrero, from there on, it continues as Avenida Jimenez Moya to reach the Centro de los Heroes and finally the boardwalk. This thoroughfare is distinguished by its date palms that are planted on the sidewalks . Throughout its length the road is composed of six lanes (three on each side) and a large wooded median popularly known as " the Churchill Boulevard " and within this the Boulevard of Stars.

Abraham Lincoln: extends from Kennedy Avenue to the seawall . The route consists of six lanes ( three on each side ) and a mean cane palms . A throughout this avenue are located several buildings, clubs, restaurants and shops.

Ortega y Gasset: It extends from the Paseo de los Reyes Catolicos Av until February 27. The avenue consists of four lanes, two on each side. Along this avenue, you will find the Olympic Center and the Plaza de la Salud .

Tiradentes: It extends from the jetty in the south, through the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo. It extends to the north along Av frebrero 27, Avenue John F. Kennedy, and continuing north past the Quisqueya Stadium until it reaches the Zoo.

Luperon: It extends from Kennedy Avenue to Highway May 30 on the western edge of Santo Domingo. The thoroughfare consists of eight lanes, four on each side and a landscaped median. Local attractions located on this strip includes Gallístico Center Herrera Industrial Zone, and the Plaza de la Bandera.

Máximo Gómez: It extends from the bridge to the Malecon Peynado President . The boulevard consists of four lanes, two on each side. Major buildings and points of interest along this boulevard are: the National Cemetery, Plaza de la Cultura which houses the National Theatre and the Palace of Fine Arts. There are also two universities (UNAPEC and UTESA), as well as the headquarters of the People's Bank and five star hotel " Hotel Barceló Santo Domingo" .

Duarte: It extends from the intersection of Avenida Paseo and Martyrs of the Catholic Monarchs to Calle Padre Billini in the Colonial Zone . The avenue consists of three lanes on a road north-south direction becomes one lane to enter the Colonial Zone . This avenue is the main commerce route for low-income people throughout the metropolitan area with department stores, restaurants, and shops that offer goods and services at modest prices . In " Duarte " (as popularly known) you can find the New Market, the Enriquillo Park, Duarte Commercial Square and Chinatown in Santo Domingo.

Nicolas de Ovando: Is located on the northern part of Santo Domingo starting at the roundabout Cristo Rey sector and corner with Ortega y Gasset, Máximo Gómez, Arbert Duarte and Thomas avenues, among others; culminating in the sector of Simón Bolívar . This avenue is characterized by many businesses that sell auto parts .

Public transportation

Santo Domingo Metro.
Metro Station.

Santo Domingo has an underground and elevated rapid transit metro system. It is the most extensive metro in the Caribbean and Central American region by total length and number of stations.[27] The Santo Domingo Metro is part of a major "National Master Plan" to improve transportation in the city as well as the rest of the nation. The first line was planned to relieve traffic congestion in the Máximo Gómez and Hermanas Mirabal Avenue. The second line, which opened in April 2013, is meant to relieve the congestion along the Duarte-Kennedy-Centenario Corridor in the city from west to east. As of August 2013, the metro consists of these two lines. Four more lines are planned to be constructed in the near future, for a total of six. Before the opening of the second line, 30,856,515 passengers rode the Santo Domingo Metro in 2012.[28]

Airports

Las Américas International Airport's Terminal A and B

Santo Domingo is served by two international airports, the main one being Las Américas International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de las Americas). The airport has two terminals; the newer one, just completed in 2006, added five more gates on the northern end of the facility. As of 2010, the airport handled over 3.4 million passengers per year.[29] Las Américas is located in Punta Caucedo, 15 km (9 mi) east of the National District on DR-3. It is serviced by such airlines as majors American Airlines, Jetblue Airways, Delta Air Lines, Iberia, Air France and Cubana de Aviación. as well as smaller ones like Sunrise Airways. The Aeropuerto Internacional La Isabela is a secondary, newly constructed airport located in the northern section of the city, within kilometres of the city center. It is not currently used as a major international airport, servicing mostly domestic and charter flights.

Seaport

Don Diego terminal.

The Port of Santo Domingo is located on the Ozama River. Its location at the center of the Caribbean is well suited for flexible itinerary planning and has excellent support, road and airport infrastructure within the Santo Domingo region, which facilitate access and transfers. The port is suitable for both turnaround and transit calls.

The port's renovation is part of a major redevelopment project, aimed at integrating the port area and the Zona Colonial and foster a cruise, yacht, and high-end tourism destination. Supported by legislation approved in 2005, the project, developed by the Sans Souci Group, also includes the development of a new sports marina and a 122-acre (0.49 km2) mixed-leisure real estate development adjacent to the port.

Sports

File:Tigres Del Licey Logo.png

Baseball

Baseball is the most popular sport in the country. Santo Domingo is home to two of the six teams in the Dominican Professional Baseball League.

  • Tigres del Licey, founded in 1907, have won 21 national championships since 1951. It is the most senior national team, winning 10 Caribbean Series titles as well.
  • Leones del Escogido, founded in 1921, are winners of 15 national championships since 1951. It is the third team with the most championships won. The team has 4 titles won in the Caribbean Series.

These two teams are based in the Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal located in Ensanche La Fe.

Basketball

Santo Domingo's Basketball Tournament Superior is held in the National District each year, with several teams participating and representing several sectors and social clubs of the city.

Some of the teams participating in the tournament include:

Sports clubs

Media

There are 15 television stations (both UHF and VHF) in Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo has the greatest number of television signals in the country, followed by Santiago. Additional cable television channels are provided by companies like Aster, Cable TV Dominicana, SKY Dominicana, and Telecable. In Santo Domingo there are 100 different stations in AM frequency and 44 in FM frequency.

Television

Radio

FM

AM

International relations

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See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Dominican Republic

Twin towns – Sister cities

Santo Domingo is twinned with:

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Santo Domingo has four sister cities designated by Sister Cities International:[36]

Gallery

  • Santo Domingo 15.jpg

    Santo Domingo's modern architecture

  • Santo Domingo 13.jpg

    John F. Kennedy Avenue, Santo Domingo

  • SD Noche 2.jpg

    Santo Domingo at night

  • Anacaona Avenue in Santo Domingo. Mirador del Sur park

  • Alcázar de Colón

People from Santo Domingo

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See also: Category:People from Santo Domingo

See also

References

  1. ↑ (Spanish) Superficies a nivel de municipios, Oficina Nacional de Estadística Archived November 17, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 IX Census
  4. ↑ City Mayors: Local government in the Caribbean
  5. ↑ Colonial City of Santo Domingo - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  6. ↑ Comisiones Nacionales: UNESCO
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Meining 1986:9
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Mary Louise Pratt, Imperial Eyes, 2007, p. 70
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ See List of metro systems
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ La Guardia y Santo Domingo, dos ciudades hermanas (Spanish) Archived April 2, 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 Online Directory: Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI) Archived September 17, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Meinig, D.W. (1986). The Shaping of America: a Geographic Perspective on 500 Years of History. Volume I - Atlantic America, 1492-1800. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-03882-8
  • Santo Domingo; Fragmentos De Patria by Banreservas ISBN 99934-898-1-6

External links


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