Colon Park

The Parque Colón is one of the parks or historic squares of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, which served as the main center of celebration of the society of the colonial era. Currently Parque Colón is used as the main center of cultural activities and is also part of the World Heritage Site of Santo Domingo.

During the colonial era of the fifteenth century, various buildings were carried out on the island of Hispaniola, which were the first colonial houses in the entire American continent. Within these residential constructions was created the Parque Colón, which was called by the name of Plaza Mayor de Santo Domingo, which dates from 1506, and throughout the passage of the years to the present day has undergone various modifications.
This was the main entertainment center of the inhabitants of the time, since it gave life and splendor of the town of La Isabela, and its surroundings. The name of Plaza Mayor, was given in honor of the Commander Major of the order of Nicolás de Ovando, who arrived in 1502 to Santo Domingo. It owed its name even more, since it was in charge of moving the city to the western part of the Ozama River.

Previously it was called Plaza de la Catedral, since a few meters from the square was the Catedral Primada de América. In the center of this park is the statue of Grand Admiral Christopher Columbus pointing his finger north, and was a creation of French sculptor E. Gilbert. On February 27, 1887, it was officially inaugurated as Parque Colón, since there was the statue of Columbus.

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