Puerto Plata (city)

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Puerto Plata
San Felipe de Puerto Plata
Aerial view of Puerto Plata
Aerial view of Puerto Plata
Official seal of Puerto Plata
Nickname(s): La Novia del Atlantico
Puerto Plata is located in the Dominican Republic
Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic
Coordinates: 19°48′0″N 70°41′0″W﻿ / ﻿19.80000°N 70.68333°W﻿ / 19.80000; -70.68333
Country Dominican Republic
Province Puerto Plata
Founded 1502
Municipality since 1844
 • Total 509.01 km2 (196.53 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 8 m (26 ft)
Population (2012)[3]
 • Total 286,558
 • Density 560/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
 • Demonym Puertoplateño(a)
Distance to
 – Santo Domingo

215 km
Municipal Districts
Website [1]

San Felipe de Puerto Plata, Puerto de Plata, often referred to as simply Puerto Plata, is the capital of the Dominican Republic province Puerto Plata.

The city is famous for resorts such as Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada, located east of San Felipe de Puerto Plata. There are a total of 100,000 hotel beds in the city.


The fortification Fortaleza San Felipe, which was built in the 16th century and served as a prison under Rafael Trujillo's dictatorship, lies close to the port of Puerta Plata. The amber museum, is also a well-known attraction in this city. La Isabela, a settlement built by Christopher Columbus, is located near Puerto Plata.

In April 1563, the Spanish settlement became notorious when the English slave trader, Sir John Hawkins, brought 400 people he had abducted from Sierra Leone. Hawkins traded his victims with the Spanish for pearls, hides and sugars, some gold. This was the start of British involvement in the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, in which 20 million people were forced into slavery.

Puerto Plata is served by Gregorio Luperón International Airport.



The small bay around which the city was built provides a natural harbor. Puerto Plata is the largest city on the northern seaboard. Its subdivisions include: El Cupey, Maimón, Los Mameyes, Sabana Grande, El Toro, Tubagua, Yásica Abajo and San Marcos. The mountain, Isabel de Torres, is situated some 5 km to the southwest of the city of San Felipe. Geographically it forms part of the Cordillera Septentrional, reaching a maximum height of 800 m above sea level. It is possible to drive to the top of the mountain by following the highway Don José Ginebra. The highway, upon leaving the city, continues west passing the populated areas of San Marcos, Piedra Candela and El Cruce arriving at a paved section that continues southeast and then leads directly to the top. The area surrounding Loma Isabel de Torres has been declared a National Monument with an area that covers approximately 20 km2. At the summit, there is a tropical botanical garden covering about 7 acres (28,000 m2), featuring 600 varieties of tropical plants.


Puerto Plata has a tropical climate, more specifically a tropical monsoon climate, with hot, somewhat wet summers and warm, very wet winters (Köppen climate classification Am), due to its tropical location and the cold fronts that reach the region during the "winter" which typically brings the area humid, wetter weather.

Climate data for Gregorio Luperón International Airport [1970-2000]
Record high °C (°F) 32.5
Average high °C (°F) 28.9
Daily mean °C (°F) 23.2
Average low °C (°F) 17.5
Record low °C (°F) 9.4
Rainfall mm (inches) 175.3
Avg. rainy days 12 9 8 10 11 6 7 7 7 10 14 15 116
Source #1: [4]
Source #2: [5]


The most significant rivers are: Camú del Norte, San Marcos, Corozo, Muñoz, Maimón, El Violón, San Piñez, Río Seco, as well as the streams Fú, Blanco, Caballo, Culebra and San Cristóbal.


The Municipality of San Felipe de Puerto Plata is prominent in agrobusiness and tourism, making it a major contributor to the economic growth of the entire country. Other forms of income and economic development that serve to support some segments of the population include port management, sea vessel production, fishing, and textiles. The port has a significant impact in the national and provincial economy.

The port frequently receives cruise ships as well as general bulk freighters. They export a great variety of merchandise, including farm products and manufactured products in the duty-free zones of the region.


In the year 1508 Serrano, and Diego Nicuëza were sent to the Spanish court to beg the king to treat their cities as the cities in their home country. On December 6, 1508 the Spanish king granted the cities of Hispaniola their seal and their rights. For "Puerto de Plata", like it was called those years, it was described as follows : A silver shield with a green mountain, on it was also a golden F and Y crowned and on the top of the this silver and blue. The initials are for the King and Queen of the Spanish Empire, the Catholic Monarchs Fernando and Ysabel (now usually Isabel).


Urban Puerto Plata

Since the founding of La Isabela, the first village in the New World, January 2, 1494, Puerto Plata is a town of firsts in the Americas.[6]

Historians are not clear on the exact year of Puerto Plata's founding. Emilio Rodríguez Demorizi, Américo Lugo, Jose Bordonada, and Samuel Hazard give the year 1502 as recorded by Nicolás of Ovando.

Dr. Llenas affirmed that it was 1503. Dr. Joaquín Marino Incháustegui, in his Dominican history records, 1504. Dr. Manuel Arturo Roca Batlle indicates that the city was founded in 1505. The historians, Alonso Rodriguez Demorizi (brother of Emilio) and Jacinto Gimbernard, express that it was in the year 1496 and Padre Español said that it was in 1506.

The aforementioned Nicolás of Ovando records a port existing in the northern coast of the island near 1502.

Around 1555, Puerto Plata's importance as a port town was lost and it became one of the places of the Antilles where pirates frequented.

Christopher Columbus, in his first trip, called the mountain Monte de Plata, observing that since the top is frequently foggy it had a silver like appearance hence comes the name of the port.

The city was designed by the brothers Christopher and Bartolomé Columbus, in the 1496 and based on the year 1502 by Frey Nicolás de Ovando.

In its first phase as a Spanish Colony the town was considered the main commercial and maritime port of the island. In 1605 it was depopulated and destroyed by order of Fernando III, to hinder the advance of English piracy.

The Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor, U.S. Marines landed on the island and attacked a French ship and Fortaleza de San Felipe. After capturing the French privateer Sandwich and spiking the guns of Fortaleza San Felipe, US forces retired victorious. This was during the Quasi War, an undeclared conflict between France the United States from 1798 to 1800.

A hundred years later the town was repopulated with farmers originating from the Canaries. From 1822 to 1844 the city was under Haitian control. From 1844 on begins the period of the republic in which the city began to recover its maritime and commercial boom.

The city grew under the influence of European immigrants, who left a cultural and social footprint that remains unique from other cities on the island.

In 1863, during the War of the Restoration, the city was razed completely. Beginning in 1865, the current Puerto Plata began to be built. This explains the Victorian style of much of its current architecture. By the end of the 18th century, Puerto Plata had become important for its cultural, social, maritime, and economic development.


The reports on the celebration of the carnival in the Puerto Plata date from the end of the 19th century, and the festivity was enriched at the beginning of the 20th century by the arrival of Cuban immigrants.

The central personage is the devil cojuelo, that in Puerto Plata he becomes Taimáscaro, that produces deities Taínas in its masks, with a beautiful suit where elements of the Spanish culture they are symbolized and the African essences, in multicolored tapes in its arms, and all that is complemented with the conches of the Atlantic ocean, as natural elements of identity of the town Puertoplateño.

These festivities are celebrated during the months of February and March, in the avenue of the Jetty and the streets of the city. The people are entertained by the parades of disguises, the music, the popular dances and the different demonstrations of the arts and the culture represented in the carnival that reflects our cultural identity. Each year the organizers of the carnival choose the King Momo, who represents the person of the city that has fought for maintaining its traditions. 4,2. Victorian architecture The city of Puerto Plata is characterized by its dominant Victorian style architecture, combined with various other architectural styles, giving a varied character to the process of urban development. Inside this variety is the old style related to the colonial epoch, of which remains as an example the Fortress San Felipe. Another it is the traditional style, originated when the city was founded by immigrant canarios, and of the one that the balconies are inherited, and as an example I live is the bridge of the Guinea, of the year 1879. Then developed the Victorian model, because of the French, Italian, German, English immigrations and other European countries, which began after the War Restorer and had its height to ends of the 19th century and starts of the XX. This style was utilized in dwellings and in buildings destined to social activities. This type of construction gives an own image to the province.

Finally Puerto Plata developed a modern architecture, because of the American occupation (1916 and 1924) and continuing under Trujillo, based on cement block construction. With the current tourist boom a new environmentally based architecture has developed.


Education in the Puerto Plata municipality there they are decollado large and illustrious educators which have left innovative tracks among the ones that can be indicated: Antera Mota, Emilio Prud'Homme, Ana Isabel Jiménez, Mercedes Mota, José Dubeau, Doña Isabel Díaz-Alejo y Reyes, Doña Elvia Campillo, Isabel Meyreles, María Concepción Gómez Matos, among others. Currently, the municipality of San Felipe of Puerto Plata counts on 182 Educational Centers of which the 67% corresponds to the public sector and the 39% to the private sector.

This municipality counts on a total of 29,279 students, of them 1,567 corresponds at the Initial level, 19,395 at the Basic level, 6,642 at the Medium level, 1,505 students to the subsystem of adults, 84 students of special education and 86 of the labor school.

Besides the universities fours operation counts on itself that offer different careers of technical and upper degree. Said universities are:


Since the 1950s, the main sports institution of the municipality of San Felipe, has been the League of the Atlantic one, which was founded, August 16, 1958, prompted by Fabio Rafael González. This institution celebrates during all the year activities, main of baseball, years later him was added the basketball, with the time various clubs were incorporated; the Gustavo Behall, the Hugo Kunhard, Juan Luis Plá, among others. Since the 1970, the main activities have been the school events that are celebrated durantes all the year, in its respective dates in which competes in the different disciplines. At present, in Golden Beach, Brugal & Company celebrates periodically the Club Golf Puerto Plata tournament, with the participation of the most noticeable athletes of this discipline, so much at the local level, as national and international.


The city is famous for tourist centers such as Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada, located to the east of San Felipe of Puerto Plata. There are a total of 100,000 hotel beds in the city.

The Riu chain of resorts: Bachata - Riu Merengue & Riu Mambo resorts (All Inclusive) are located nearby on the beach in Maimon Bay some 45 minutes from the airport, and 9 km from Puerto Plata.

Puerto Plata is served for the international airport of Gregorio Luperón, situated around 15 kilometers to the east of the city, near the town La Union.


The fort is the main colonial monument of the city of Puerto Plata, since, around it the city developed most of its history. In the year 1540, Álvaro Caballero went to the Court to request that a fortress be constructed in Puerto Plata. In 1549 the Archbishop and governing Fuenmayor, he was entrusted with its construction, but it was still not done even in the 1560, when the Audiencia Real ordered it commence under the charge of the French born judge Juan Echagoín to initiate its work. This work was finished in the year 1577. The purpose was to protect the city against the incursions of bandits, of the corsairs and French and English pirates that continuously terrified inhabitants of Puerto Plata. Its name is in honor of Felipe II, in whose reign its construction was finished. In 1980 it was declared a National Monument.

the port of san felipe

Ocean World[edit]

Ocean World is an adventure park located amidst the reefs of the Beach of Cofresí,[7] in one of the most charming places in the Dominican Republic.

The park [8][9] is a main tourist attraction: it is the largest and most complete park of its kind in the Caribbean.

The investment on this project is valued at more than 45 million dollars. It includes: a yacht marina, the permanent residence of some 19 dolphins, beaches and forests, as well as fishbowls, picturesque and exotic birds, Malayan tigers, and a Casino [10] recently inaugurated.

Ocean World is located within a great tourist complex, on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.

The investor and president of Ocean World, L. A. Meister, showed great interest in the tourist potential of Puerto Plata, in its first incursions in this city, as he was directed and oriented by Juan Carlos Moral, original owner of the lands of Cofresí.

Ocean World Cofresi - Puerto Plata


Museo del Ámbar: The business Costa, Inc. A cultural company of family administration, directed by Aldo Costa, founded the Museo del Ámbar Dominicano in the 1982 in the Villa Bentz, (more elegant Hotel of Puerto Plata of the year 1918, built by the famous Spanish architect Marín Gallart and Cantú). This museum is considered the first Museum of the Amber of the Dominican Republic and at the same time, a great historic monument of the city.

La Zona Colonial (Casas Victorianas): From the 1857, it is initiated in Puerto Plata. The Victorian style originating from England, call thus, in honor of the Queen Victoria, manager of that epoch. This it extended to almost everyone and was considered it more modern.

The fundamental characteristics were, the elaboration of the wood in artistic form, for the construction of dwellings. From that moment, Puerto Plata defined clearly their architectural style, evolving to what we have nowadays as our patrimony. The rise and development of that new modality in the art of construction, was what gave start, to the buildings of the Victorian houses of the decade from the 70 of the 19th century. Creating a unique style in the city, which him is known today as Victorian architecture of Puerto Plata.

El Faro[edit]

The cast-iron lighthouse was built in 1879, under the interim regime of Gregorio Luperón. It consists of a tower elevated on a masonry base, on Doric columns, and rising to 137 feet (42 m) above sea level. Due to its position on the coast the cast iron suffered from corrosion and for its poor condition it was included in the 2000 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund.[11] American Express provided funds for a restoration project, which was completed in 2004.[12] After the restoration, the Dominican Republic's Dirección Nacional de Patrimonio Monumental announced that the historic district around the lighthouse would also be revitalized.


It was inaugurated in 1975, with construction of Italian origin. It can carry 17 people and takes 8 minutes to climb and descend the mountain. It is moved by an electric hydraulic system, conducted by a central operator, situated in the base station. This small train is welcoming, with protective glass walls, and offers the visitor a panoramic view of the city descending from the hill (which at its top is 2,555 feet (779 m) above sea level). It is one of the more picturesque and impressive excursions for a tourist visiting the country. Visitors can enjoy a beautifully composed landscape, including a garden of 215 features and all the flora of the country, gift shops and a beautiful restaurant with Dominican food. It is managed by a patronage, which maintains it under the principles of conservation and enjoyment for all who visit.


With its golden sands surrounded by the great beauty that emanate of its natural landscapes combining the blue color of the water that many times dress of a tone turquoise with the reflections of the sun in the day, and of moon at night. These beaches bring pleasing memories by their landscapes, stones, waves, sand, uveros, almonds, yawls, rowboats, music and dances. Many of them represent all an epoch of daydream and traditions, like they are: La Poza del Castillo, Cofresí, Costámbar, Long Beach, Marapicá, Playa Dorada, Maimón, Bergantín, among others. The beaches are considered as one of the main tourist attractions of the city.

Mountain Pico Isabel de Torres[edit]

On the 793-meter-high mountain Pico Isabel de Torres, the highest point of Puerto Plata, there is a botanical garden and a replica of Christ the Redeemer, the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro.

Christ the Redeemer Statue - Puerto Plata

Notable residents[edit]


  1. ^ Superficies a nivel de municipios, Oficina Nacional de Estadistica.
  3. ^ Censo 2012 de Población y Vivienda, Oficina Nacional de Estadistica.
  4. ^ National Bureau of Meteorology (ONAMET). "Pronóstico Turístico Mensual" (in Spanish). Santo Domingo. Retrieved June 4, 2011. 
  5. ^ Antonio Cocco Quezada. "Tourism & Climatology" (in Spanish). ACQ & Asociados. Retrieved June 4, 2011. 
  6. ^ Manuel Gilbert. "Puerto Plata, su historia y riqueza" (in Spanish). Listin Diario.com. Retrieved 9 February 2011. 
  7. ^ Beach of Cofresí.
  8. ^ Ocean World adventure park.
  9. ^ Ocean World.
  10. ^ Ocean World Casino.
  11. ^ World Monuments Fund - Puerto Plata Lighthouse.
  12. ^ Periódico Hoy, "Puerto Plata, la novia del Atlántico," December 22, 2004.
This article incorporates information from the German Wikipedia.

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 19°48′N 70°41′W﻿ / ﻿19.800°N 70.683°W﻿ / 19.800; -70.683