Santo Domingo is known as the capitol city of the Dominican Republic, but many people don’t know that it is also the oldest city in the North and South American continents. Hispaniola, the island that the Dominican Republic is a part of, was the first place where colonial powers established a city, which became Santo Domingo. It was founded in 1498 by a man named Bartholomew Columbus. Santo Domingo became the blueprint for many cities that were built by the colonial powers in the Americas following the concept of a grid pattern. The city also contained the first cathedral in the Americas, the first university, the first hospital, among other institutions which were built and brought about by the colonial powers. It was considered their first permanent establishment and headquarters. Today, Santo Domingo has largely been preserved including the grid pattern, with the exception of structures that have been damaged due to natural disasters and some renovations that have been carried out.
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