History of Puerto Plata

Some differences among the historians exist that have written on the year in which Puerto Plata was founded. Emilio Rodriguez Demorizi, José August Puig Ortiz, Américo Lugo and Samuel Hazard, they give as good and valid, that you take care of was based it on the 1502 by Nicolas of Ovando; thus they collect it in their main works.


Other historians vary the date of his foundation: the Full doctor affirms, that was in the 1503. The Dr. Joaquín Marine Incháustegui, in his Dominican history he plant that he was in 1504. The Dr. Manuel Arturo Rock Batlle indicates that Port Silver was founded in 1505.


The historians, Alonso Rodriguez Demorizi (brother of Emilio) and Hyacinth Gimbernard, they express that was in the year 1496 and the Spanish Father says that in 1506. The historic informations, on the Silver Port foundation they are inexact.


Nicolas of Ovando, above-mentioned to have a port in the northern coast of the island, the origin of its foundation dates near 1502. Around 1555, the Puerto Plata's importance had been lost and became one of the places of the Antilles where was practiced the contraband with the pirates and the pirates of the Caribbean.


The Admiral, Christopher Columbus, in its first trip, named the Monte de Plata, the today montaña Isabel de Torres, observed that in its high top always it is foggy that cause they appear it as silver and of low of its mountain, to the edge of the sea, took the port of the name, for which Puerto de Plata was called. A century and middle later and with the use, him was suppressed the preposition of, and Puerto Plata was called simply, like him is known today.


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 of Spanish Colony was respected the main commercial and maritime port of the island. In 1605 it was depopulated and destroyed by order of Fernando III, to avoid the advance of the English piracy and Holland that took as base the north part of the Atlantic one.


A hundred years later, was repopulated again with new inhabitants originating in the Canaries that were mostly farmers. From 1822 to 1844 the city was low Haitian control. Of 1844 on it begins the republican period and the city recovers its maritime and commercial boom.
The city grew under the influence of the European immigration, who they contributed its cultural and social quota; what itself reflection in its inhabitants; who they possessed a culture that distinguished him of the other cities of the country.


In 1863, during the period of the War Restorer, the city was set on fire completely, initiating from 1865, the construction of the current Silver Port city. Under the influence of the Victorian architecture considered the most advanced one of its epoch, the Silver Port city is converted to halfway through of the 18th century in a city of great importance by its cultural, social, maritime, and economic development.