Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos | |
---|---|
UTC−5 (EST) | |
Postal code | 55100–55500 |
Area code | +53 43 |
Vehicle registration | CF |
Website | cienfueguero.gob.cu |
Official name | Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | ii, v |
Designated | 2005 (29th session)[4] |
Reference no. | 1202 |
Region | Latin America and the Caribbean |
Cienfuegos (Latin American Spanish: [sjeɱˈfweɣos]), capital of Cienfuegos Province, is a city on the southern coast of Cuba.[5] It is located about 250 km (160 mi) from Havana and has a population of 178,368 in 2022.[3] Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has become one of Cuba's main industrial centers, especially in the energy and sugar sectors.[6] The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur (Pearl of the South). Despite being known as an industrial city of factories and various nuclear/electrical plants, and the name Cienfuegos literally translating to "one hundred fires" (cien, "one hundred"; fuegos, "fires"), the city actually takes its name from the surname of Asturian-born José Cienfuegos Jovellanos, Captain General of Cuba (1816–19).
Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the city was settled by many Spaniards, mainly Catalans and Asturians who amassed fortunes as businessmen in different branches, other few of them obtained in the sugar industry, they became rich during their stay in Cuba, and they commissioned many of the most emblematic buildings of Cienfuegos[7] that remain today (See also: Indiano). Other well known residents were the Irish-born John O’Bourke, he had ten children on the island, three of whom were Cuban independence fighters from the Spanish crown, the mestizos Juan O'Bourke y Palacio, Rafael O’Bourke y Borroto, and Don Miguel O’Bourke y Ramos.[7] There were also artistic personalities born in Cuba who have contributed in the cultural history of the city.
In 2005,
History
The area where the city lies was identified as Cacicazgo de Jagua by early Spanish conquistadors. It was originally settled by
The city was later settled by
Cienfuegos port, despite being one of the latest settlements established during the colonial era, soon grew to be a powerful town due to the fertile fields surrounding it and its position on the trade route between Jamaica and South American cities to the southeast and the hinterland provincial capital of Santa Clara to the northeast. Its advantageous trading location on the historically eponymous Bay of Jagua was used by the Cuban sugar oligarchy when a railroad was built between both cities between 1853 and 1860.[14][15]
Near Cienfuegos was the scene of a battle during the Spanish–American War on May 11, 1898, between American Marines attempting to sever underwater Spanish communication lines and the Spanish defenders.
Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the city was settled by many Spaniards, mainly Catalans and Asturians who amassed fortunes as businessmen in different branches, other few of them obtained in the sugar industry, they became rich during their stay in Cuba, and they commissioned many of the most emblematic buildings of Cienfuegos that remain today[7] (See also: Indiano). Other well known residents were the Irish-born John O’Bourke, he had ten children on the island, three of whom were Cuban independence fighters from the Spanish crown, the mestizos Juan O'Bourke y Palacio, Rafael O’Bourke y Borroto, and Don Miguel O’Bourke y Ramos.[7] There were also artistic personalities born in Cuba who have contributed in the cultural history of the city.
The architects of Cienfuegos buildings from different centuries were Cuban-born, Italians and Spaniards architects.
During the Cuban Revolution, the city saw an uprising against Fulgencio Batista and was bombed in retaliation on September 5, 1957.[16] The city later became a key industrial center, part of the revolutionary government's "anti-urban" planning policy, with industrial projects including the never-completed Juraguá nuclear power plant, the "Camilo Cienfuegos" oil refinery named for Camilo Cienfuegos, and the "Carlos Marx" cement factory.[17]
In 1969 and 1970, a
In 2005,
Geography
Near the entrance to
Cienfuegos, one of the chief seaports of Cuba, is a center of the sugar trade as well as coffee and tobacco. While sugarcane is the chief crop, local farmers also grow coffee.
Climate
According to the
Climate data for Cienfuegos | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 31.1 (88.0) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.3 (91.9) |
32.8 (91.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
35.0 (95.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
35.0 (95.0) |
33.9 (93.0) |
32.8 (91.0) |
31.7 (89.1) |
35.0 (95.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27.2 (81.0) |
27.8 (82.0) |
28.9 (84.0) |
29.4 (84.9) |
30.6 (87.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
32.2 (90.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.8 (82.0) |
29.9 (85.8) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.2 (72.0) |
22.3 (72.1) |
23.4 (74.1) |
24.4 (75.9) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.7 (80.1) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.7 (80.1) |
23.9 (75.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
24.9 (76.8) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
16.7 (62.1) |
17.8 (64.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
20.6 (69.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.2 (72.0) |
21.7 (71.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
19.4 (66.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
19.9 (67.8) |
Record low °C (°F) | 7.8 (46.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
18.9 (66.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.1 (52.0) |
8.9 (48.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 18 (0.7) |
25 (1.0) |
33 (1.3) |
46 (1.8) |
119 (4.7) |
152 (6.0) |
122 (4.8) |
160 (6.3) |
173 (6.8) |
160 (6.3) |
41 (1.6) |
23 (0.9) |
1,072 (42.2) |
Source: Sistema de Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial[19] |
Demographics
In 2004, the municipality of Cienfuegos had a population of 163,824.[20] With a total area of 333 km2 (129 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 492.0/km2 (1,274/sq mi).
Sports
Cienfuegos fields a team in the
Attractions
- Castillo de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles de Jagua – fortress
- City Hall of Cienfuegos
- Arco de Triunfo – the only Triumphal arch in Cuba
- Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción – cathedral with stained glass work, built 1833–1869
- Delfinario – dolphins and sea lions in a saltwater lagoon
- Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos – 97 hectares of botanic garden
- Museo Provincial – furniture and porcelain museum
- Moorish revivalstyle
- Palmira Yorubá Pantheon – museum of religious afro-catholic syncretism
- Parque José Martí – park in Plaza de Armas
- Teatro Tomás Terry – colonial style theater
- Palacio Ferrer
- Malecónde Cienfuegos
- Paseo del Prado – longest street in Cuba, full of colorful buildings
- Quintero (cigar) cigar factory
- University of Cienfuegos "Carlos Rafael Rodríguez" (UCF) – the province's high education institution
- Rancho Luna Beach
- El Nicho
- Laguna del Cura - an authentic fishing boat lagoon.
Transportation
The city is served by
Notable people
- Melissa Vargas, incredible player for Cuban and Turkey women's national volleyball team.
- MLB player for the Chicago White Sox
- María Conchita Alonso, Cuban-Venezuelan-American singer; born here
- Yordany Álvarez, MLS player for Real Salt Lake
- California Angels, and Milwaukee Brewers
- Cubana Flight 455bombing; born here
- MLB player for the Chicago White Sox
- Benny Moré, Cuban singer
- Olance Nogueras Rofes, Cuban journalist
- Gina Pellón, Cuban painter; lives in exile in Paris
- Cleveland Indians; born here
- Robeisy Ramirez, professional boxer and two-time Olympic Gold medalist
- Osmel Sousa, Cuban-Venezuelan entrepreneur and former president of the Miss Venezuela Organization.
- MLB player for the Boston Red Sox
- Cristóbal Torriente, Cuban-born Hall of Fame baseball player
Sister cities
Cienfuegos has the following
- Tacoma, Washington, United States
- Etzatlán, Mexico[21][22]
- Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Kingston, Ontario, Canada (2005)
- Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Saint-Nazaire, France
- Contagem, Brazil
Gallery
-
Medici Lions
-
The Promenade of Cienfuegos
-
The central Calle D'Clouet with the "Hotel La Unión" (left) and the railtrack remains of the former urban tramway
-
Teatro Tomás Terry in Cienfuegos
-
Teatro Tomás Terry, postcard of 1915.
-
Kiosko
-
Old Yacht Club building, inaugurated in 1920.
-
Rear facade of the Old Yacht Club building, photo of 1925.
-
Palacio Ferrer. José Ferrer Sires, a wealthy Catalan settled in Cienfuegos, he commissioned renowned Cuban architect Pablo Donato Carbonell to design the luxurious palace for his family. Construction lasted between 1917 and 1920.
-
Postcard showing the Calle D'Clouet, Cienfuegos, in 1905.
-
The Kiosko Glorieta, Cienfuegos, in 1921.
-
Arimao River, Cienfuegos, postcard of 1915.
-
College Church of Los Dominicos, was inaugurated in 1906, postcard of 1921.
-
Cienfuegos, 1909
See also
References
- ^ a b "Cienfuegos". Guije.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2007-10-07.
- ^ a b Statoids (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba". Retrieved 2007-10-07.
- ^ a b "Cienfuegos (Municipality, Cuba) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
- ^ "Decision: 29 COM 8B.53". Decisions of the 29th Session of the World Heritage Committee (PDF). Durban: UNESCO. 2005. p. 143.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 364.
- .
- ^ a b c d "Cienfuegos y su historia". jaguabay.com.
- ^ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos". whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ "Six Cuban Views - Castle at the Entrance of Cienfuegos". picryl.com. 1874.
- ^ "Isla Cuba Pintoresca, Laplante". Graphics Arts Collection, Special Collections, Firestone Library, Princeton University website. 1856.
- ^ "CIENFUEGOS (CUBA) BY LAPLANTE". Pontes Maps. 1856.
- ^ "CUBAN ART. LITHOGRAPHY BY EDUARDO LAPLANTE. DE ISLA DE CUBA PINTORESCA, 1856". worthpoint.com.
- ^ Ojeda Cabrera, Mireya. "Cienfuegos a 190 años de fundada" (in Spanish). Radio Rebelde. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ Santa Clara railway station (Cuba)
- ISBN 978-0807846926.
- University of Texas. Archived from the originalon 2006-09-08.
- .
- S2CID 218578295. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ "Cuba–Cienfuegos". Centro de Investigaciones Fitosociológicas. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
- ^ "Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores - Gobierno - gob.mx". www.sre.gob.mx. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ http://www.sre.gob.mx/coordinacionpolitica/images/stories/documentos_gobiernos/rai/jal/jal40.pdf
Bibliography
External links
- Cienfuegos travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Cienfuegos City Council
- Guide of Cienfuegos
- Photo collections with most of the city's landmarks on Flickr