Santiago de los Caballeros

From Freepedia

Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago de los Caballeros (the first Santiago of America) is the second most important city in the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. Also known as Santiago de los 30 Caballeros

History

The original colony was in Jacagua, but when this was destroyed by an earthquake it was moved to its present location in 1506. It was devastated by another earthquake in 1562. Santiago de los Caballeros has sometimes been the capital of the country, and was an important strategic city in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844.

On a hill overlooking Santiago is a 67 meter high marble monument. Construction of the monument began in 1944 on the orders of then-dictator Rafael Trujillo. He named it the "Monument of the Peace of Trujillo". Trujillo was assassinated in 1961, after which the monument was renamed the "Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration".

Present Day

Today the city has a population of more than 500,000 inhabitants. Its most important economic activity is in the service sector, having one of the largest tax-free zone parks in the country. There is also an international airport (Aeropuerto Internacional del Cibao)[1], and the city is the home of the Aguilas Cibaeñas baseball team and several universities.