The ruins of the Hospital San Nicolás de Bari stand in an open plaza just inside the Zona Colonial, a cluster of coral-stone arches and walls with no roof — the original structure was destroyed by hurricanes in the 17th century. What remains is still imposing, and the open ruin is one of the few places in the colonial district where you can see the original construction technique and scale without restoration getting in the way.
The hospital was founded in 1503 by the Spanish governor Nicolás de Ovando and served as the main medical facility for the entire colony. The ruins are publicly accessible, free to enter, and are a quieter alternative to some of the busier colonial sites nearby.