Santiago de los Caballeros

Santiago
—  City  —
Santiago de los Caballeros
Clockwise: Los Cerros de Gurabo in the distance; El Monumento; El Estadio Cibao y El Gran Arena del Cibao; the old Municipal Palace; Gran Teatro del Cibao; and Fortaleza San Luis, which is a museum.

Seal
Motto: In Spanish, La ciudad corazón
Santiago
Location in the Dominican Republic
Coordinates:
Country Dominican Republic
Province Santiago
Municipality Santiago de los Caballeros
Founded 1495
Government
 • Governor Raul Martinez
 • Mayor Gilberto Serulle
 • Senator Julio Cesar Valentin
Area
 • Total 75 km2 (29 sq mi)
Elevation[1] 175 m (574 ft)
Population (2002)[2]
 • Total 1,329,078
 • Density 5,187/km2 (13,434.3/sq mi)
 • Urban 1,507,418
 • Demonym Santiaguero(a)
Municipal districts 5
Website Ayuntamiento de Santiago

Santiago de los Caballeros (English: Saint James of the Gentlemen) is a city in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago (the first "Santiago" of the Americas) is the second largest metropolis in the Dominican Republic, located in the north-central region of the Republic known as Cibao valley.[3] This city is the capital of Santiago Province.

Contents

History

The original colony was in the city of Jacagua, which was founded in 1495, but when it was destroyed by an earthquake, it was moved to its present location in 1506. It was devastated by another earthquake in 1562. Santiago de los Caballeros has at times been the capital of the country, and was an important strategic city in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844.

The name of the city, Saint James of the Gentlemen, makes allusion to the gentlemen that actually founded the city. Sometimes the city is even called Santiago de los 30 Caballeros (English: Saint James of the 30 Gentlemen) since the city was founded by 30 gentlemen who signed the city's incorporation.

Geography

Santiago de los Caballeros is located on a hilly terrain in the middle of the Cibao Valley in the Central Region of the Dominican Republic, one of the most fertile lands found in the island. The Yaque del Norte River passes by Santiago which is in between the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Septentrional, two of the three major mountain ranges on the island of Hispaniola, forming the Cibao Valley.

Climate

Santiago features a tropical wet and dry climate under the Koppen climate classification. The average temperature varies little in the city, because the tropical trade winds help mitigate the heat and humidity throughout the year. December and January are the coolest months and July and August are the warmest. Santiago and the rest of the country are in the Caribbean and have a tropical climate, which, when coupled with the city's altitude, 183 meters above sea level, causes cloudy conditions to persist through much of the year. Whilst the city lies within the Hurricane belt, Santiago is more sheltered than other parts of the country from hurricanes because of its location in the Cibao Valley.

Climate data for Santiago
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 41.0
(105.8)
Average high °C (°F) 28.9
(84.0)
29.4
(84.9)
30.5
(86.9)
31.3
(88.3)
31.3
(88.3)
33.0
(91.4)
33.1
(91.6)
33.3
(91.9)
33.4
(92.1)
32.5
(90.5)
30.4
(86.7)
28.8
(83.8)
31.33
(88.39)
Daily mean °C (°F) 23.6
(74.5)
23.9
(75.0)
24.8
(76.6)
25.7
(78.3)
26.3
(79.3)
27.6
(81.7)
27.7
(81.9)
27.8
(82.0)
27.7
(81.9)
27.1
(80.8)
25.4
(77.7)
23.8
(74.8)
25.95
(78.71)
Average low °C (°F) 18.3
(64.9)
18.4
(65.1)
19.1
(66.4)
20.0
(68.0)
21.3
(70.3)
22.2
(72.0)
22.3
(72.1)
22.3
(72.1)
22.0
(71.6)
21.6
(70.9)
20.3
(68.5)
18.8
(65.8)
20.55
(68.99)
Record low °C (°F) 11.2
(52.2)
12.0
(53.6)
11.2
(52.2)
Rainfall mm (inches) 55.0
(2.165)
46.2
(1.819)
59.2
(2.331)
109.3
(4.303)
133.1
(5.24)
63.7
(2.508)
56.0
(2.205)
71.9
(2.831)
85.3
(3.358)
109.8
(4.323)
125.6
(4.945)
80.0
(3.15)
995.1
(39.177)
Avg. rainy days 8 8 10 5 7 8
Source no. 1: [4]
Source no. 2: Temperature Extreme Records [5][6][7]

Economy

The city of Santiago, as most of the Cibao region, is largely dependent on the fertile lands of the region. This makes Santiago de los Caballeros an important region for farming and livestock. The city has been recently changing into a predominantly service provider economy. This sector has grown a lot in the recent years making it ideal for greater expansion. It should be noted that Santiago is the 2nd largest city in the Dominican Republic after Santo Domingo and concurrently produces the 2nd highest percentage of the nations GDP. Telecommunications, such as; wireless phones, cable service, internet service and other services are important for the local economy. Tourism too, accounts for an important portion of the city's economy.

Growth and development

Like Santo Domingo, Santiago has recently experienced an era of rapid growth and development. It has become a city of great importance for the nation and the region's development. Santiago like any other fast growing city is faced with numerous problems including irregular electricity service and insufficient potable water. The approximate population of Santiago is about 1,936,721 inhabitants. The fastest growing neighborhood in the city of Santiago is the traditionally upper middle class neighborhood, La Trinitaria.

Shopping in Santiago

  • Bella Terra Mall
  • Colinas Mall
  • El Encanto
  • El Mercado del Cibao
  • El Super Pola
  • Plaza Isabel Emilia
  • La Opera
  • La Sirena
  • Plaza Internacional
  • Price Smart
  • Calle del Sol
  • JUMBO
  • Multi Centro La Sirena
  • Plaza Zona Rosa

Santiago's night life

  • Sajhara
  • Mr. Hooka
  • Moma
  • MIA
  • Francifol Cafe
  • Tribeca
  • Noah
  • Satay
  • KuKara Macara
  • Montezuma Bar and Grill
  • Montebar
  • Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant
  • Camus Glam Club
  • Vitra lounge
  • Shisha
  • Privilege
  • Dubai Club
  • H2O outdoor lounge
  • Casablanca
  • Pasion Nightclub
  • Illusion Nightclub
  • Dr. Nights
  • Mi Casa Bar
  • Cibao Bowling Center
  • Game Studio
  • Bocanada Shots Bar
  • Metropolis Billar Cafe
  • Soho Rooftop Lounge

Arts and culture

Architecture

Catedral de Santiago

The Cathedral of Santiago was built in 1895 by Onofre de Lora, an architect native to the city.[8]

Hermanos Patiño Bridge

The Hermanos Patiño Bridge is both the largest and oldest bridge in the city connecting the North and South sides of the city of Santiago. Its construction was started by Rafael Leonidas Trujillo and inaugurated in 1962, one year after his death. The bridge is named after the five brothers that died in an effort to end Trujillo's regime and dictatorship in the Dominican Republic in the mid 20th century. The anti-Trujillo legacy of the Patiño family did not begin with the brothers, but with their father who was killed in 1931 in the first anti-Trujillo insurrection of the Dominican Republic.[9]

Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration

On a hill overlooking Santiago is a 67 meters (220 ft) high marble monument. Construction of the monument began in 1944 on the orders of then-dictator Rafael Trujillo. He named it the "Trujillo's Monument to Peace," and was designed by architect Henry Gazón Bona. Trujillo was assassinated in 1961, after which the monument was renamed the "Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration", in remembrance of the Independence Restoration War of 1863, in which the Dominican Republic regained its independence from Spain.[10]

Sites

Museums

There are some interesting museums in Santiago that show the culture of this northern city. Some of them are:

Sports

As much as the rest of the nation, Santiago residents enjoy baseball and look forward to the Dominican winter season with the local team being the Aguilas Cibaeñas.[13]. Besides baseball, basketball is also played at a professional level in the city of Santiago. The institution in charge of organizing these events is the Asociación de Baloncesto de Santiago de los Treinta Caballeros (ABASACA)[14]

Santiago's major baseball and basketball teams are Las Aguilas Cibaeñas and Los Metros de Santiago.

Santiago have two stadiums, and the stadiums are The Estadio Cibao home of the Aguilas Cibaeñas and The Gran Arena del Cibao home of Los Metros De Santiago

The Female Volleyball Team have claimed two bronze medals[15] in the professional Dominican Volleyball League.

Education

Santiago is home of several universities including Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (UTESA). Other higher learning institutions present in Santiago are: Universidad Organización & Método (O&M), Universidad Abierta para Adultos (UAPA), Universidad Nacional Evangélica and one regional campus belonging to the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo

Transportation

Carros Públicos: Santiago has several efficient forms of transportation, among them “Carros Públicos” (conchos) and private and independent bus owners who form their own routes according to demands.

Inter-City Bus Transportation: The city has private bus transportation to other important cities. Bus companies include Dioni, Metro, Caribe Tours, Transporte Espinal, Aetra Bus.

Highways: The Autopista Juan Pablo Duarte Officially known as DR-1 passes by the city center and connects the city directly to Santo Domingo. Other minor highways connect the city to Puerto Plata, Samana, and the northwestern region of the country. Overall, Santiago has a fine connection through highways to the rest of the country.

Airports:

Proposed Rail System: The construction of a light metro rail is in the planning stage. It is scheduled to be started by the summer of 2009. Financing is to be by a private firm, the State Rail System of Spain (FEVE). The Light rail system will connect the City center to the Airport and shorten the amount of time of trips.

Health

Facilities include Cabral y Baez, Clínica Corominas, and Union Médica, and Hospital Metropolitano De Santiago which offer their services in the city.

New projects

The industrialists of Santiago have defended the project since it is considered to be a solution to the lack of green spaces suitable for relaxation in the city. Nevertheless it has been argued that the granting of contracts for the different phases from this project violate the frame of transparency and legality. In the Strategic Plan of Santiago it is indicated that the construction of the Metropolitan Park would increase the Santiagos green area from its currently 1.1% to 4%.

Hotels

Although it is not a point of major tourist interest in the Dominican Republic (known mostly for its beach-based tourism), there are multiple hotels currently operating in the city. Some include:

Recreation

Some of the recreational places found in Santiago are:

Notable residents of Santiago de los Caballeros

Sister cities

Santiago has twinning agreements with the following sister cities:

References

  1. ^ De la Fuente, Santiago (1976) (in Spanish). Geografía Dominicana. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Editora Colegial Quisqueyana. 
  2. ^ Ayuntamiento de Santiago de los Caballeros (13 July 2011). "Datos Demográficos". Ayuntamientosantiagord.com. http://ayuntamientosantiagord.com/sobre-el-municipio-2/datos-demograficos/. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  3. ^ Staff writers (22 August 2007). "Dominican Republic Central Regigon". Ministry of Tourism. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071122160046/http://www.godominicanrepublic.com/main.asp?xmlpath=/DominicanRepublic/Regions/Central/santiago_en.xml&Lang=. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
  4. ^ National Bureau of Meteorology (ONAMET). "Pronóstico Turístico Mensual" (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. http://www.onamet.gov.do/descargas/. Retrieved 4 June 2011. 
  5. ^ [1] ONAMET/ National Bureau of Meteorology (Recorded on September 13th, 1960)
  6. ^ [2] EFEMÉRIDES METEOROLÓGICAS DOMINICANAS (Recorded on January 31st, 1987)
  7. ^ [3] Ogimet.com (Recorded on March 9th, 2010)
  8. ^ "Iglesia Catedral Santiago Apostol El Mayor". Archivohistorico.santiagodominicana.com. http://archivohistorico.santiagodominicana.com/iglesia_catedral_santiago_apos.html. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  9. ^ "Puente Hermanos Patiño". Archivohistorico.santiagodominicana.com. http://archivohistorico.santiagodominicana.com/puente_hermano_patino.html. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  10. ^ "Monumento a los Heroes de la Restauración". Archivohistorico.santiagodominicana.com. http://archivohistorico.santiagodominicana.com/monumento_heroes.html. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  11. ^ "Museo Cultural Fortaleza San Luis, Santiago, República Dominicana". Livio.com. http://www.livio.com/Fortaleza_San_Luis/. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  12. ^ [4]
  13. ^ "at". Aguilascibaenas.net. http://www.aguilascibaenas.net/flashversion/modulos/mod_history/historia.html. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  14. ^ "www.lainformacionrd.net". lainformacionrd.net. 30 October 2011. http://www.lainformacionrd.net/index.php?idnoticia=4124&seccion=8&nseccion=DEPORTES&cat=noticias&a=1. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  15. ^ [5]
  16. ^ [6]
  17. ^ Anonymous (4 November 2008). "Business briefcase » Business » SalemNews.com, Salem, MA". Salemnews.com. http://www.salemnews.com/pubiz/local_story_308224711.html?keyword=secondarystory. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  18. ^ Siegriest, Lindsey (29 October 2008). "CUNA School Graduates 11". Cutimes.com. http://www.cutimes.com/Issues/2008/October%2029,%202008/Pages/CUNA-School-Graduates-11.aspx. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 
  19. ^ http://training.cuna.org/download/SCSWA08.pdf
  20. ^ "Douglas Gonzalez, MIS, SFE". LinkedIn. 1 April 2006. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/douglas-gonzalez/4/3aa/656. Retrieved 4 November 2011. 

External links

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