Fortaleza Ozama
Homage Tower in Ozama Fortress
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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| Location | Dominican Republic 
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| Coordinates | 18°28′24″N 69°52′54″W / 18.4732°N 69.8817°W |
| Criteria | ii, iv, vi |
| Reference | whc.unesco.org/en/list/526 526 |
| Inscription | 1990 (21st Session) |
 Location of Fortaleza Ozama
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Coordinates: 18°28′24″N 69°52′54″W / 18.47320°N 69.88171°W
The Fortaleza Ozama (in Spanish; Ozama Fortress in English) is a sixteenth-century castle built by the Spanish at the entrance to in Santo Domingo's Ciudad Colonial, Dominican Republic, and overlooking the Ozama River. Named after this river, the castle, also referred to as "La Fortaleza" or "The Fortress", is the oldest formal military construction of European origin in the Americas.
An impressive architectural structure of medieval style and design, the Tower of Homage (Spanish: Torre del Homenaje) stands in the center of the grounds. The castle was designed to guard the entrance to the port of Santo Domingo and defend the city from seaborne enemies. Construction began in 1502 and it was completed in 1505. The entrance gate on Calle Damas was originally built in 1608, known as the Prevention Gate.
The castle was well-built enough to serve as a prison until the 1960s. When the prison was closed, the "Fortaleza" was opened to the public. It is located at the end of Las Damas Street.
Fortress Ozama
Tower of Homage
Top of the lower tower
Fortress entrance
Fortress interior garden
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Wikipedia