Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic. It is located near the mouth of the Ozana River. It was founded by Christopher Columbus little brother, Bartholomew Columbus in 1496, which makes Santo Domingo the oldest city in the Americas that continuously inhabit European settlements. Santo Domingo became the site of the first cathedrals, hospitals and universities in the Americas. When it was first discovered, it was laid out in a grid pattern and was a model for most town planners in the New World.