ARQUITECTURA Y TURISMO

The Colonial, First City of America
Compiled by Alberto Galván
Disputed by many other cities in the Americas, Santo Domingo for those who know that cheating can not win, even if you "win" is arguably the first city in the new world, because it formally first put its foundation the seat a "civilized" European man city.

Por Alberto Galvá

As we know, in academia no longer speak of "discovery" but "encounter" of two cultures, for indeed there is abundant records of human settlements across the continent long before the arrival of Europeans to the New World.

But it was certainly the expedition led by Admiral Don Christopher Columbus who opened the door to a new maritime, commercial and cultural route that survives to this day.

And unfortunate or fortunately was the island of the Spanish headquarters of the first human settlement in the New World.

This first settlement took place on the shores of what is now Haiti, Quisqueya before then baptized by Columbus as Spanish.
Years later, the Spanish crown Nicolas de Ovando responsible administration of the island.

On 13 February 1502 he left Spain with 30 vessels, with the largest fleet of ships bound for the Americas. They embarked in total some 2,500 settlers, and unlike Christopher Columbus, this group of settlers was chosen at random to represent the Spanish society in the New World. Ovando's plan, drawn up by the Catholic Monarchs was to develop both the basic economics of the Spanish, as well as establish social, religious and administrative political structures of the colony.
Next to him also traveled Francisco Pizarro, who later would explore the western region of South America and conquer the Inca Empire. Likewise, in another vessel of the same trip, he was Fray Bartolome de las Casas, later known as "The Protector of the Indians".

When Nicolas de Ovando arrived in the New World he found that the native population was in a state of rebellion. Such rebellion was suppressed through a series of bloody campaigns. So in 1504 he ordered hanged Taíno princess Anacaona. A series of epidemics reduced the population of Hispaniola: when Christopher Columbus arrived on that island, in 1492, the native population was estimated almost 500,000 inhabitants but nevertheless, according to the census taken in 1507, the natives had been reduced to only 60,000 people.1
Ovando founded (or ordered the foundation) of several cities in the Spanish, including: Compostela de Azua (or Azua de Compostela), Santa María de la Vera Paz, Bayajá (now Fort Liberté, Haiti), Salvatierra de la Sabana (today, Les Cayes, Haiti), Higuey, Cotuí, Puerto Plata, Santa Cruz de Hicayagua (today, El Seibo in Dominican Republic) .2

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In the late fifteenth century they were erected in the Spanish Island the first colonial houses of all the Americas. These first houses, the result of an urgent need accommodations for conquerors and immigrants, were raised in the context of urban centers founded by the great admiral and his brother Bartholomew Columbus. Thus came to life the villages of La Isabela, La Vega and Santo Domingo de Guzman, the latter in its original seat on the east bank of the Ozama River. There were also other centers historically linked to the conquering company, military and economic nature, many of which have disappeared.
This construction activity was supported by different expeditions stonemasons, master builders and architects, many of whom enjoyed great prestige in the metropolis.

In 1502 Santo Domingo reach the supreme commander of the Order of Alcantara Fray Nicolas de Ovando. This is chosen to transfer the seat of the city to the west bank of the Ozama River. Nicolas de Ovando is the founder of the new city of Santo Domingo, because after choosing the settlement, personally directs the layout and organization of the town with a new name: Santo Domingo.

The most important colonial buildings in the city include the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, called Cathedral of America, which establishes the distinction, the Alcazar de Colon, first castle America and residence of the Viceroy of the Indies, Don Diego Columbus, son Christopher Columbus; the Monastery of San Francisco, the ruins of the first monastery in America; the Museo de las Casas Reales, the former Palace of the Governor General, the Palace of the Royal Court; Columbus Park, a historic square, the Ozama Fortress, the oldest fortress in America; the Pantheon of the Fatherland, a former Jesuit building that houses the remains of several distinguished representatives of the Dominican Order, and the Church of the Convento Dominico, the first convent in America.

Throughout its first century, Santo Domingo was largely platform exploration and conquest of the New World.
In 1586, Francis Drake occupied the city demanding a ransom for it. The invasion and looting of Drake of the Spanish and a Spanish domain weakened, the capital was abandoned and left to the mercy of pirates for more than 50 years. An expedition sent by Oliver Cromwell in 1655 attacked the city of Santo Domingo, but was defeated and withdrew taking Jamaica instead.