Hospital San Nicolás de Bari

By the left side of the church is the Hospital of St Nicholas, the first hospital in the New World, built in the year 1503 on the orders of Nicolas Ovando, governor of the island. Unfortunately today only ruins remain, although you can still see the old Latin cross, as well as some of the high walls and Moorish arches. It's a shame - the building survived an invasion by the pirate Drake and four centuries of earthquakes and hurricanes, remaining virtually intact until 1911, when it was finally destroyed by a hurricane. Be careful if you try to walk through the site, as there are some loose stones