Pueblo Viejo National Park, National park and archaeological site in La Vega Province, Dominican Republic.
Pueblo Viejo National Park is a protected area with archaeological remains in La Vega Province. The site contains fortress ruins, relics of an old gold mining operation, and natural terrain that together document the early colonial period.
The settlement began in 1495 and was one of the earliest European outposts in the Caribbean. A major earthquake in 1562 destroyed much of it and prompted residents to abandon the site for a new location.
The ruins scattered across the grounds tell the story of how Europeans settled and worked the land in those early years. Walking through, you can sense how mining shaped daily life and the landscape itself.
Wear sturdy shoes as the terrain is uneven with paths around the ruins. Morning hours offer cooler conditions for exploring, and guided tours can help you understand what you are seeing.
The gold deposit here was once the largest source of the precious metal in the Western Hemisphere. Today only the remnants remind us of the economic importance this mining operation once held.
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