The square known today as Plaza de España —and also as Plaza de la Hispanidad— is the open space in front of the Alcázar de Colón in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Its story is the story of the first century of permanent European settlement in the Americas.
Santo Domingo was moved to the western bank of the Ozama River in 1502 by governor Nicolás de Ovando. The new street plan reserved the block above the riverbank for the governor’s residence: the future Alcázar de Colón. The open ground left in front of it, between the palace and the royal warehouse complex known as Las Atarazanas, worked from the start as an approach square and a stage for colonial authority.
Built between 1510 and 1514, the Alcázar was the residence of Diego Columbus, son of Christopher Columbus and governor of the island, and of his wife María de Toledo. It is the oldest surviving viceregal residence in the Americas and today houses a museum. Its main façade looks straight onto the square, which is why the space is also called Plaza de España.
On the opposite side stands the arcaded complex of Las Atarazanas Reales, built in the 16th century as the Crown’s customs house, warehouse and shipyard. For decades it controlled the cargo moving in and out of Hispaniola and is one of the earliest complexes of its kind in the Americas. The restored arches now host terraces, shops and exhibition rooms.
After a long period of relative neglect, the colonial district was restored during the 20th century. In 1990 the Colonial City of Santo Domingo —including this square, the Alcázar and Las Atarazanas— was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The rehabilitation gave the square back its role as an open-air living room, with terraces, live music and cultural events.
Plaza de España and Plaza de la Hispanidad are two names for the same square: the first points to the Spanish presence around the Alcázar, the second to the idea of Hispanidad. Official Dominican tourism sources and the public listing of the place use both interchangeably, so it is worth searching for either name.
Yes. In Santo Domingo both names refer to the same square in front of the Alcázar de Colón, in the Colonial Zone. Official tourism sources and the public listing use both names.
The open space dates from the founding and relocation of the city to the western bank of the Ozama River in 1502, and took shape in the 16th century next to the Alcázar de Colón (1510–1514) and Las Atarazanas Reales. Its current appearance is the result of 20th-century restoration.
Yes. It lies within the "Colonial City of Santo Domingo", inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990.
The Alcázar de Colón, the residence of Diego Columbus built between 1510 and 1514 and the oldest surviving viceregal residence in the Americas. It operates as a museum and has its own admission.
Yes — the square is a public space with free access and is easy to walk on your own. The Alcázar de Colón and other museums require a ticket; guided tours of the Colonial Zone are also offered nearby.
Content reviewed in October 2026.