Architecture of Dominican Republic
Altos de Chavon
The architecture of the Dominican Republic is severely limited as no true buildings exist from the pre-Columbian times. Although the first settlers built much, they shifted capitals later and much of their early structures were either wood so have not lasted or are forts. During much of the country's early history they fell under Spanish rule and their capital was soon shifted to Santo Domingo, one of the first European cities in the Americas. Due to this, all of the country's most impressive architecture is found there.
Beach houses
Santo Domingo's heart is the Zona Colonial, which was the Spanish colonial center and home to many of the country's oldest structures. Here there are numerous Spanish colonial buildings from as early as the 1500s. The Spanish had a tendency to build their colonies in the same styles popular in Spain at the time.
Santo Domingo and the Zona Colonial is home to numerous structures that were the first of their kind in the Americas. The Fortaleza Ozama is the oldest fortress, the Alcazar de Colon is the first castle (and former resident of Christopher Columbus's son, Don Diego Colon), the first convent in the Dominican Convent, and Catedral Santa Maria La Menor, the first cathedral in the Americas.