Why was the colonial centre of Santo Domingo named a World Heritage site?

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The historic district of Santo Domingo was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990 because it represents the oldest permanent city established by Europeans in the Western Hemisphere.1

Founded in 1496, the city served as the capital of the first Spanish colony in the New World and acted as the primary base for Spanish expeditions of exploration and conquest throughout the West Indies and the adjacent mainland. The area is home to significant colonial monuments, including the oldest Roman Catholic archbishopric in the Americas and the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, which is the oldest university in the Western Hemisphere.1