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| A City Alive with History and Culture | |
|  Puerto Plata is the center of regional commerce, a port city and the capital of the province of Puerto Plata.
The city was founded by Nicolas de Ovando in 1502. A personal decree signed by Christopher Columbus gave the city its name, inspired by the shimmering silver color of its coast at sunset.
Puerto Plata is cradled between its colonial harbor and a dramatic backdrop and natural reserve, Mount Isabel de Torres.
It is characterized by busy, narrow streets, quaint colonial gingerbread architecture, and a wide oceanfront boulevard known as El Malecon, ending at a historical Spanish fortress.
You can take in the best views along El Malecon or any of the streets leading to the sea.
To see Puerto Plata from above, ride the cablecar to Mount Isabel de Torres, blanketed in tropical floral gardens, whose hilltop Christ with extended arms reminds one of Rio de Janeiros.
Or take a quaint walking tour through the park, cathedral or any of the countless Victorian homes and structures.
Many of the turn-of-the century homes have been lovingly restored and the charming Central Park gazebo was recreated from period renderings of the original. See the insert on the next page for a recommended tour of the citys historic architecture.
A must see is the Fort of San Felipe, built in 1541 to defend from a possible pirate attack, now a historical museum of Dominican artifacts.
In those days, the corsairs and pirates were constantly invading the city and robbing its citizens, so construction of the fortress began in 1569, ending in 1577. In 1605 the fort was dismantled and rebuilt in 1739.
This time, it was well equipped and staffed with highly trained military personnel to guarantee the safety of the city. There is a great similarity between this fort and that of St. Augustine in Florida. In fact, it is said that the same plans and people were used to build it.
The Amber Museum is another must-see attraction. Here you will find magnificently preserved pieces of amber with inclusions of fossilized insects, leaves and other debris from prehistoric times. It is a well known fact that Dominican amber served as inspiration for Steven Spielbergs Jurassic Park.
The 1970s brought tourism to the Amber Riviera, with a meticulous development program directed by the Central Banks Dept. of Tourism Infrastructure (INFRATUR). The department having fulfilled its role, it has since been abolished and part of its ongoing responsibilities passed to the Ministry of Tourism. |
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