The Colonial City of Santo Domingo, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Dominican Republic, is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the Americas, founded in 1498 shortly after Christopher Columbus's arrival. It served as the first permanent European foothold in the New World and the launching point for the conquest and cultural dissemination across the continent. This well-preserved historic district features the Western Hemisphere's first cathedral, hospital, university, and customs house, along with a grid-pattern layout that influenced urban planning throughout the Americas, all enclosed by historic walls, forts, and cobblestone streets.