Calle de las Damas

In front of the Fortaleza Ozama [1] and running north to the Plaza de la Hispanidad [2] is Calle de las Damas (Street of the Ladies), the oldest paved street in the New World. It was constructed in 1502 for the wife of Diego Columbus so that she and her lady friends could go for afternoon strolls without mussing their dresses.

Plaza de María de Toledo is a connecting passageway between Calle de las Damas and Calle Isabel La Católica; it was named for Diego Columbus’s wife.

Along the Calle de las Damas is the reloj del sol (sundial) that was built for the royalty who lived in the Museo de las Casas Reales [3], which is directly in front of it. It’s perfectly positioned so that a mere glance from the royal windows would reveal the time of day.