Sancti Spíritus

Coordinates: 21°56′2″N 79°26′38″W / 21.93389°N 79.44389°W / 21.93389; -79.44389
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ciudad de Sancti Spiritus
UTC-5 (EST)
Postal code
60100
Area code+53 41

Sancti Spíritus (Spanish pronunciation:

Latin Sanctus Spiritus ("Holy Spirit
").

History

A pedestrian boulevard in Sancti Spiritus

The city was founded by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar in 1514.[1]

The city contributed men for

Juan Velazquez de Leon.[4]
: 50 

Francisco Iznaga,

Basque landowner in the western portion of Cuba during the first thirty years of the colonization of Cuba, was elected mayor of Bayamo
in 1540. Iznaga was the originator of a powerful lineage which finally settled in Sancti Spíritus and Trinidad, where Torre Iznaga (Iznaga Tower) is. His descendants fought for the independence of Cuba and for annexation to the U.S., from 1820 to 1900.

Geography

Aerial photograph of Sancti Spíritus

The municipality is divided into the barrios of Banao, Bellamota, Bijabo, Guasimal, Hospital, Jíbaro, Manacas, Mapos, Paredes, Paula, Pelayo, Pueblo Nuevo, San Andrés, Tuinicú, Tunas de Zaza and Zaza del Medio.[1]

The Zaza Reservoir is located southwest of the city.

The city has a central park which is a place of great entertainment for the persons of all ages.

The geographic center of Cuba is located off the shores of the municipality.

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification system, Sancti Spíritus has a tropical savanna climate, abbreviated "Aw" on climate maps.[6]

Climate data for Sancti Spíritus
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 27
(80)
27
(80)
28
(83)
29
(84)
30
(86)
30
(86)
31
(87)
31
(88)
30
(86)
29
(85)
28
(82)
27
(80)
29
(84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 18
(64)
18
(64)
19
(67)
20
(68)
22
(72)
23
(74)
23
(74)
23
(74)
23
(73)
22
(72)
21
(69)
14
(57)
21
(70)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 30
(1.2)
43
(1.7)
46
(1.8)
69
(2.7)
210
(8.3)
280
(11)
200
(7.7)
200
(8)
200
(7.8)
220
(8.7)
51
(2)
23
(0.9)
1,560
(61.4)
Source: Weatherbase [7]

Demographics

In 2022, the municipality of Sancti Spíritus had a population of 142,618.[3] With a total area of 1,151 km2 (444 sq mi),[2] this means a population density of 120/km2 (310/sq mi).

Main sights

The Parroquial Mayor, Cuba's oldest church, in Sancti Spiritus center

The

Baccarat crystal
chandeliers here, it wasn't their primary residence; the house was used mostly to host family members in transit, so the furnishings were rather eclectic. The three bedrooms are decorated in grand style, though, with handmade lace, embroidered sheets, and hand-painted glass. There is a gorgeous and very Cuban leather sillón fumador (smoking chair) and, in the music room, the mid-18th-century American piano, one of only two of its type in Cuba. In the tearoom is the family seal, which says: "El que más vale no vale tanto como Valle vale" ("He who has the greatest worth isn't worth as much as a Valle is worth"—playing off the Spanish word for "worth" with the family surname).

Another interesting landmark is one of Cuba's older bridges over the Yayabo river. Built in 1815 with clay bricks it forms five arcs, the center being 9 meters tall. The entire bridge is only 85 meters long and was designed for pedestrians and carriages during colonial-era Cuba but has thus far resisted heavier modern traffic.

Sancti Spíritus has a famous Medical University located at the Main road in Olivos III. It has students from all over the world representing 34 nationalities. The university is affiliated with ELAM in Havana.

Transport

The city is crossed in the middle by the

Yaguajay", located near Guayos
.

It counts a railway station on Cabaiguán-Sancti Spíritus-Tunas de Zaza line, with express trains from/to Havana, a terminal for interprovincial omnibuses and an urban bus service.

Sport

The local baseball team is the

Sancti Spíritus Gallos, and its home ground is José Antonio Huelga Stadium. The local football team is the FC Sancti Spíritus
.

Education

The Facultad de Ciencias Medicas Sancti Spiritus is a medical school located in Sancti Spíritus.

Notable people

  • Joaquín Casillas, former soldier, and commanding officer, in the Cuban Constitutional Army.

Gallery

  • Street scene
    Street scene
  • Museo de Arte Colonial
    Museo de Arte Colonial
  • Pedestrian zone
    Pedestrian zone
  • Agricultural Market
    Agricultural Market

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Guije.com. "Sancti Spíritus" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  2. ^ a b Statoids (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba". Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  3. ^ a b "Cuba: Administrative Division (Provinces and Municipalities) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  4. ^ Jorge Iznaga. FRANCISCO IZNAGA Iznaga Genealogy (IZNAGA - 1420 - Present), Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  5. ^ Climate Summary for Sancti Spiritus, Cuba
  6. ^ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on October 13, 2013.

External links