Fortress of Santo Domingo (Fortaleza Ozama)

Fortress of Santo Domingo (Fortaleza Ozama) is in the southeastern corner of the Colonial Zone at Calle Las Damas and Padre Billini. Begun in 1503 on the banks of the Ozama River, the fortress is said to be the oldest military complex in the New World. Dominating the open space within is the Tower of Homage (Torre del Homenaje), which was used as a prison until the 1960s and offers picturesque views from its battlements. A bronze statue of Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo, the 16th-century Spanish historian and prison warden, looms nearby.

Guided tours are available. Time: Allow 30 minutes minimum.