Condominiums in the Dominican Republic can take advantage of Santo Domingo’s vibrant cultural heritage. The largest city in the Caribbean, the capital of the Dominican Republic was founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1469 and is the oldest European settlement in the Americas. As a result, this city of two million people is filled with museums and architectural monuments not found anywhere else in the Caribbean.

Fortaleza Ozama, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a 16th-century castle that traditionally guarded the entrance to the port of Santo Domingo. Although only a short flight from Miami, New York or Toronto, this fort is a rare remnant of medieval architecture in the New World, and its sturdy stone walls will transport visitors back in time.

The Alcázar de Colón, in the historic center of Santo Domingo’s Zona Colonial, will celebrate its 500th anniversary in 2012 and is the oldest government building in the Western Hemisphere. Established by Diego Colón, son of Christopher Columbus, Alcázar de Colón served as the administrative center of the early Spanish Empire in the New World, and it was from here that the conquest of the Americas was planned and organized. The mansion was even sacked by Sir Francis Drake in 1586.

The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor in Santo Domingo is the oldest cathedral in the Americas. The church features a coral and limestone façade, and glows a deep golden color at sunset. Built in 1540, the Gothic and Baroque architecture of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo is one of the main tourist attractions in the Caribbean. The cathedral was used by Sir Francis Drake as a base while he sacked Santo Domingo, paving the way for the reign of the Pirates of the Caribbean. Real estate in the Dominican Republic has never been the same since.

Many other colonial monuments and architecture can be found in the “Zona Colonial” or colonial neighborhood of Santo Domingo. The cobbled streets are specially reserved as pedestrian areas, making traversing the various historic sites easy for visitors.