Santiago de los Caballeros:
Santiago de los Caballeros is the city, northern Dominican Republic. It is situated on the Yaque del Norte River, in the heart of the fertile Cibao Valley, and is known as the capital of the Cibao region. It is the country’s second largest city and is more traditional than the national capital, Santo Domingo. Whether founded in 1494 by Christopher Columbus (as some historians claim) or in 1495 by his brother Bartholomew, Santiago was among the first European settlements in America.
Notable landmarks include the San Luis Fort, the Pontificia Católica Madre y Maestra University (1962), various palaces, and the Cathedral of Santiago el Mayor situated opposite the city park (Parque Duarte). A technological university was founded in 1974.
The city’s economy depends mainly on the production of cigarettes, rum, furniture, pharmaceuticals, soaps, leather articles, and processed foods, including cacao, milled rice, and dairy produce.
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