Calle de las Damas

Calle de las Damas is the oldest paved street in the Americas, laid down in the early 16th century. It runs along the eastern edge of the Zona Colonial parallel to the Ozama River, and almost every building on it has a claim to historical significance: the Casa de los Jesuitas, the Capilla de los Remedios, the National Pantheon (housed in what was originally a Jesuit church), and the Museum of the Dominican Families are all found on this single block.

Walking the length of Calle de las Damas in either direction is the best introduction to the Zona Colonial. The cobblestones and the scale of the colonial buildings have changed little, and on a quiet morning it is possible to get a genuine sense of what the street might have looked like in the 16th century.

things to do zona colonial sight historic
A story
The street is named for the ladies of the court — the wives and attendants of Diego Columbus and other colonial officials — who used to promenade here in the 16th century. The sight of elegantly dressed women walking along a cobblestone street in what was then a remote colonial outpost struck contemporaries as so remarkable that the street name stuck.

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