Colonial City of Santo Domingo

Ciudad Colonial (Spanish pronunciation: [sjuˈðað koloˈnjal]; lit. 'Colonial City') is the historic central neighborhood of the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo. It is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the Americas. The area has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is also known as Zona Colonial (Colonial Zone) or more colloquially as "La Zona" (The Zone). The Ciudad Colonial is located on the west bank of the Ozama River, directly and continuously merging into the eastern disadvantaged neighborhoods of the city center of the modern city of Santo Domingo, namely Distrito Nacional. It covers 1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi) bounded by scattered, discontiguous portions of a largely demolished walled perimeter. It contains several landmarks dating back to the early 16th century, including Alcázar de Colón, Fortaleza Ozama, and Catedral de Santa María la Menor, all located within the extreme southeastern part of the colonial city, which is the only area of the city that preserves most of its colonial character. It is the main tourist attraction of Santo Domingo, even though the main sites of governmental and commercial activity are now in the more Polígono Central area of Distrito Nacional.