In 1534, the Spanish established it as the nation’s capital after the abandonment of Sevilla Nueva. The name Villa de la Vega translates to city or town on the plains. Later, it was called Santiago de la Vega or St. Jago de la Vega. When the English captured the island in 1655 they renamed it Spanish Town. It remained the capital for 217 years until this status passed to Kingston in 1872. Today the town remains one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas of the Western Hemisphere.
