The Dominican Republic is one of the paradise places on earth. This is a country of flowers, songs, exotic fruits and positive people. Who has been there, says that such amazing beaches and the azure ocean are nowhere else on Earth. Let us go on a virtual trip and get acquainted with the sights of Santo Domingo.
Geographical position
This state is in the eastern part of the island of Haiti, located in the Caribbean. It borders on the island’s only neighbor, the Republic of Haiti of the same name . Territory - 48730 km 2 . The population is almost 11 million people. The official language is Spanish.
Due to the huge migration flows, the Dominican Republic is now considered a wide variety of religions; it is a country that allows freedom of religion. Catholicism is still the most common, as more than 50% of the Dominican population profess this faith.
This amazing country attracts tourists from all over the world with the opportunity to relax on the snow-white sandy beaches of the island. Comfortable weather reigns here throughout the year. The average air temperature is +27 ° C, and the water warms up to +24 ° C. Even in the month of January, the thermometer mark does not fall below +22 ° C. The hottest thing is in August. The temperature is +33 ° C. The slopes of the mountains are covered with rainforests. In the Dominican Republic, the sights of Santo Domingo are national parks and reserves, which preserve the island's flora and fauna.
When visiting the capital it is impossible to miss the five-kilometer stretch along the ocean, which locals call Malecon, although its official name is George Washington Street. Malecon has an abundance of clubs, hotels, restaurants and various other places where you can relax.
From the history of the Dominican Republic
It is worth saying that Santo Domingo is the first city in the New World in which the first temple, the first hospital, the first university, and also the first street in America appeared. In this city there are so many things that were first that it seems that this is the very first city on Earth.
A great contribution to the emergence and development of this place on the island was made by Christopher Columbus. In Santo Domingo, he is honored and loved because he opened the world to previously unknown islands, bringing civilization of the mainland world to them. According to legend, it was on the shores of the Dominican Republic that Columbus exclaimed: "This is the most beautiful land that human eyes have ever seen."
The city center is different from the outskirts of Santo Domingo. The streets are cleaner, everywhere is green, flowers. On the main street there are shopping stores with clothes for the locals. Every house, every turn is associated with history. Monuments to famous personalities flaunt in the squares and pigeons walk that love squares and squares so much.
One of the obligatory excursions for tourists is a visit to the historic center of Santo Domingo and a walk along its cobbled streets. According to tourists, walking on these streets is a pleasure, there is a feeling of penetration into the old days. The city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On a small piece of land are the most ancient and interesting temples and buildings: everything related to the pre-Columbian period.
On the central square of the historic center is a monument to Christopher Columbus, related to the sights of Santo Domingo (photo above). Along the perimeter of the square are beautiful buildings of five hundred years ago. The buildings are made of coral stone, the light colors of which create a special Caribbean look.
Residence of the son of Columbus
On the square is a residence that belonged to the son of Columbus and his wife. The son of Columbus chose a wonderful place to build his house. From the height of the cliff, a view of the river and the other bank of the city, on which the rum factory is currently located, opens. By the way, on the western bank of the Asana River, there is a colonial zone, quarters with narrow streets, as well as an area with many Victorian-style mansions.
At one time, the relatives of the son of Columbus lived in the residence, there was a prison and a warehouse in it, and then the building was abandoned completely. And only in 1955, reconstruction was carried out. After it, in more than 55 rooms the most visited museum is located - one of the sights of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
The objects exhibited in this museum, and there are about 1000 of them, were specially brought from Spanish palaces and restored by specialists. The museum presents numerous navigational charts and ship models.
Ancient temple of america
Santo Domingo Cathedral is the first built in the New World. The temple was built by five architects, each of them contributed. In his designs you can see elements of the Romanesque, Baroque, Gothic style with details of the Renaissance. Construction time from 1514 to 1546. The interior includes large works of art, paintings, tombstones with the remains of the archbishops, old furniture and many other interesting elements that belong to this era of colonization.
Columbus Lighthouse, or tomb
Another attraction of Santo Domingo is the Columbus Lighthouse. It is also a museum and the tomb of Columbus, in which is located his ashes. This is an unusual design in the shape of a cross. Fifteen hundred floodlights on the roof of the lighthouse project into the sky a luminous cross that is visible for tens of kilometers. An incredible sight, tourists say about this. Inside the building are a museum and a mausoleum, where, according to the official version of the Dominicans, the remains of Christopher Columbus are kept. This fact is disputed by the Spaniards, but after the prescription of years and the repeated transfer of the seafarer's grave to establish the truth is almost impossible.
Pedestrian street of the city
There is a landmark in Santo Domingo that every tourist wants to see. This is a pedestrian street called Calle Las Damas - Ladies'. It is called so for a reason. When Columbus brought his wife to Santo Domingo, everyone was drawn here to know she settled in the area of this street. Ladies loved to make their promenade in the evenings on it, and that's how the name came about.
Calle Las Damas is America’s first engine street. There are expensive hotels, significant places of the city and the embassy of France. There is also a building on this street, which is the tomb of the famous people of the Dominican Republic who have fallen into history. Inside the building are sarcophagi, urn boxes and an eternal flame in the middle of the hall, above which a huge lamp hangs, attracting the attention of tourists. Looking up, you pay attention to the fact that the entire ceiling is covered with frescoes on a biblical theme.
Caves
Mirador del Este Park is located in the eastern part of Santo Domingo. It is an ideal place for walking in the fresh air and enjoying the beautiful scenery and rich tropical vegetation. It is another attraction of Santo Domingo - the Three Eyes Cave.
The name speaks for itself, the eyes are usually called lakes. But there are only three of them, as the cave is named, but four. The fourth lake was discovered half a century ago. The uniqueness of the lakes lies in the fact that the chemical composition and color of the water in them is different: aquamarine, greenish yellow, blue. There is a stalactite hall in the cave.