Attractions of Cienfuegos

Source www.visitarcuba.ru

The city of Cienfuegos maintains one of the most homogeneous urban centers in Cuba in terms of architecture. It is full of classical facades and delicate columns that create an atmosphere reminiscent of 19th century France, which it was inspired by. In fact, the city was founded in 1819 by the French immigrant don Luis D'Clouet.

Parque Jose Marti, declared a National Monument, is the central park of Cienfuegos and is located in the former main square of the city. Here was the beginning of the famous uprising against the Batista government of 1957.

In the park itself, the Arco del Triunfo, a unique structure of its kind in all of Cuba, built to commemorate the country's independence, is worth seeing. Near the Arch is a marble statue of Jose Marti.

The Governor's Palace of Cienfuegos (Palacio de Gobierno de Cienfuegos), located in the neighborhood of the beautiful Parque Jose Martí, is the most emblematic building. It is a jewel of the south of Cuba. Its historical, social and architectural value led UNESCO to declare it a Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2005. The historic building has existed since the founding of the colonial city, since 1819. In 1840, when Cienfuegos was flourishing, it was decided to expand it.

In 1842 it already was serving as the president's residence, town hall and prison, and so it continued until the 1920s. From that time it was gradually remodeled until it reached its present appearance in May 1950. Since then, its condition has been carefully preserved, allowing us to see it today in all its splendor. The colossal colonial building in the neoclassical style stands out for the symmetry of the columns which form it. The building is topped by a winding dome similar to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence (Santa Maria del Fiore).

Being of red hues, it differs in the pastel tones of the facade and the yellow large windows. The cornices, friezes and various reliefs that adorn it are painted white, giving it an even more monumental appearance. It is now the symbol of Cienfuegos and is the seat of the Local Assembly. You can't get inside, but it's certainly worth admiring from the outside.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Catedral de la Purisima Concepcion) is located in Parque Jose Marti in Cienfuegos, Cuba.

This neoclassical temple, with its whitewashed walls and red domes, was built in 1869 and is famous for its fascinating and incredibly beautiful stained. Chinese characters found on the Cathedral's columns are believed to date back to 1870.

Not far from the square is the Provincial Museum of History (Museo Historico Provincial), which will be of interest to lovers of antiques and decorative arts.

Theater Tomas Terry (Teatro Tomas Terry), located in the historic center of Cienfuegos, has been declared a national monument and is considered the most elegant eclectic building in the city.

Both the exterior and the interior of this majestic building had Italian influences. The auditorium of the theater, seating 950, is shaped like a horseshoe and is decorated with Carrara marble, a carved wooden floor, and its ceilings are decorated with beautiful frescoes in the Classical style.

The Casa de la Cultura Benjamin Duarte is located in the old Palacio Ferrer building. It is located in  the west side of the Parque Jose Marti in Cienfuegos.

It is a luxurious neoclassical building with Italian marble floors, a wrought iron staircase and a dome on the roof, with a terrace offering stunning panoramic views to the city.

Cemetery of La Reina (Cementerio de La Reina), founded in 1837, is the oldest cemetery in Cienfuegos and has the status of a national monument. Spanish soldiers who died in the War of Independence are buried here.

This cemetery has an interesting monument - a marble statue of Sleeping Beauty, placed on the grave of a young girl of 24, who died of a broken heart in 1907. You can reach the cemetery on foot or by horseback following the long avenida 50. On the way you will meet an interesting collection of trains, known as the Steam Locomotive Museum (Museo de Locomotivas).

The Waterfront of Cienfuegos (Malecon de Cienfuegos) starts at Paseo del Prado and extends all the way to Punta Gorda.

Colorful buildings, slender palm trees and the timeless beauty of the Caribbean Sea make this place a true embodiment of our ideas of a beautiful Cuba in real life. Various festivals, such as the famous carnivals of Cienfuegos, are held here. Also, it is a favorite meeting place of the locals, so you have the possibility to enjoy a true Cuban atmosphere all day long. A 30-minute stroll along the promenade, accompanied by the sea breeze, ends with a real architectural pearl: the Palacio del Valle, inspired by Spanish-Arabic architecture. The Malecon is located in the south-west, which makes it an ideal place for sunset lovers.

The Park of Sculptures (Parque de las Esculturas) is located in Punta Gorda, a beautiful residential area of Cienfuegos, at the end of the Malecon. It was created in 2007 and consists of more than a dozen large-sized sculptures made of different materials, in a variety of techniques and styles.

Many of these works of high esthetic value can serve as a seat while you enjoy the art. The idea of the sculptors was to create art not to be worshipped, but to be used and meditated. You can see that most of the creations were inspired by nautical themes. The postmodernism of this park stands especially out among the neoclassical architecture of Cienfuegos, which gives it a modern and progressive feel.

Paseo del Prado (Calle 37) in Cienfuegos is the longest street in all of Cuba, running from the El Ingles River to Punta Gorda. It is an ideal place to walk and watch the daily life of the citizens.

Along the boulevard are beautiful neoclassical buildings and pastel colored columns. The famous attraction on Paseo del Prado is the Benny More Monument, a life-size statue in honor of the famous Cuban performer Benny More. It is located at the crossing of avenida 54. The boulevard flows southward into the Malecon promenade, which offers a magical view of one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

The Palacio de Valle was built in 1917 for the wealthy aristocrat Acisclo Valle Blanco.

This amazingly beautiful building is shaped like a Moroccan kasbah, decorated with numerous ornaments, turrets, colorful tiles and stucco. Today the Palacio de Valle houses is restaurant with a beautiful terrace.

The Necropolis Tomas Acea, also called the "stone garden" is also listed as a national monument. It is located in the eastern part of the city on Avenida 5 de Septiembre.

It is entered through a huge neoclassical pavilion (1926), whose perimeter is formed by 64 columns imitating the Greek Parthenon in Athens. In the cemetery of the Necropolis there is a monument to the martyrs who died at Cienfuegos during the attempted revolt at sea in 1957.

The Customs Office of Cienfuegos (Aduana de Cienfuegos) is undoubtedly one of the most representative buildings of this monumental city of Cuba. It is located next to the pier of Muelle Real, surrounded by slender palm trees, which creates a very picturesque atmosphere. This architectural treasure dating back to the mid-nineteenth century has functioned as a customs house since its building. This adds to its authenticity.

During the colonial era, the port of Cienfuegos was important, because of the export of tobacco and meat. Therefore, the customs house was a key place to combat smuggling. Today, it serves as an authority for border control and foreign trade control. This two-tiered building is a magnificent piece of Cienfuegos neoclassical style. It is distinctive for its large arcades and columns that make up the central part of the lower faсade. Symmetry, proportion and elegance are the key words that best describe its structure. The building's intense blue color harmonizes with the sky and connects with the sea. The restoration work, as with the other buildings in the area, has been carried out impeccably, with attention to every detail.

Santa Isabel de Las Lajas or simply Lajas, is known as the birthplace of Benny More on August 24, 1919. A half-day excursion to this charming and cozy place can be taken.

Every two years the Festival Internacional de Musica Benny More is held here. What to see in Lajas: the Museo Municipal, which collects and exhibits objects from the life of Benny More, and the Casino de los Congos, a music hall where you can see the rituals of Santeria, a syncretic religion prevalent in Cuba.

Palmira is located about 12 kilometers north of Cienfuegos. It is famous for its Santeria fraternities, among them: Fraternidad Cristo, Fraternidad San Roque, and Fraternidad Santa Barbara.

To learn more about the fraternities, we recommend visiting to Museo Municipal de Palmira. In this city, very strong African traditions have been preserved, in particular those of the Yoruba communities who worship the Orish cult. The main celebrations in Palmyra are: the Fiesta de Santa Barbara, a Yoruba holiday celebrated on December 4, accompanied by music; and the Procession of Santa Barbara, the most revered saint in the Orisha religion. During the procession, the virgin is carried on shoulders through the streets of the city with the sound of a tambourine. Fiestas Bembe are noisy celebrations with songs, dances, and drumming, held on October 9 or December 4.

The Castillo de Jagua, also known as the Nuestra Senora de los Angeles de Jagua, is located west of the mouth of the Bay of Cienfuegos (bahia de Cienfuegos). It was designed by Jose Tante in 1738 during the reign of King Felipe V of Spain, almost a century before the founding of Cienfuegos.

The fortress was built in just seven years to protect the city from possible attacks by pirates and the British. The Castillo de Jagua was the third most important fortress in the country at the time, after Santiago and Havana. In 2010 the Castillo de Jagua was renovated in the Renaissance style. Today, in addition to its impressive views of the bay, it has a small museum and restaurant. There are daily passenger ferries to Cienfuegos.

The Botanical Garden of Cienfuegos (Jardin Botanico de Cienfuegos) is located on the outskirts of the city and covers an area of about 97 hectares. It is the most beautiful nursery of tropical and subtropical plants of more than 2,000 species and subspecies.

Bamboo plantations with more than 23 different species of bamboo plants, cactus zone with more than 200 subspecies of cactus, palm plantations with more than 280 varieties of palm trees, from Palmera Real (Roystoneia Cubana) to the exotic Palmera Alcornoque (Cork palm) are definitely worth visiting.

El Nicho. Although most of the province of Cienfuegos is located in the green Sierra del Escambray, you can visit only this small but very beautiful protected area. El Nicho is a natural depression in the Parque Natural Topes de Collantes. Its name comes from the beautiful waterfall with crystal clear water on the Hanabanilla River.

To get to the waterfall, you will have to walk a little over one kilometer along a beautiful nature trail known as the Reino de las Aguas, the "Kingdom of Waters", along which you can discover the rich flora and fauna of the area, trogons and palm trees, for example.

To take a break from your walk, you can refresh yourself in the many natural pools that will be encountered along the way, such as the poceta de los enamorados, the "pool of lovers". After a busy day in nature, you can relax in the ranch-style restaurant, where you can taste the delicious local cuisine.

Although you can reach El Nicho either from Cienfuegos or Trinidad, we recommend doing it from Cienfuegos, because you can drive directly from there and you do not have to cross mountainous areas with uneven terrain. If you rent a car and plan to get there on your own, you can leave your car at the entrance, on the parking. Another there is option to take a cab or shared car. The most convenient option would be to leave Cienfuegos, make a stop in El Nicho, and then head on to Trinidad, as you will be about halfway between the two cities.

Martin Infierno Cave (Cueva Martin Infierno) is located in the Valle Yaganabo (a great place for ornithology), about 56 kilometers from Cienfuegos, passing through the small town of Caleta de Munoz.

It is said that this amazing cave contains the highest stalagmite in the world. The cave is not open all year round, so it is better to check this information in Cubancan (located in Cienfuegos).

The beach of Rancho Luna is a small picturesque beach located 18 kilometers south of Cienfuegos, near Jagua Bay. There are two hotel complexes in this area and, unlike other resorts in Cuba of this type, there is the possibility of staying in a private home.

The beach is protected by a coral reef and the coast offers ideal conditions for diving, with more than 30 dive sites located just 20 minutes away by boat. To get to Rancho Luna, you can take the daily bus from Cienfuegos, the ferry from Jagua or a cab from Cienfuegos (cost less than 10 CUC).

Laguna de Guanaroca is formed by the Arimao River before it flows into Cienfuegos Bay in Cuba.

This glistening salt lagoon is surrounded by mangrove forests and is a true birdwatching paradise. Around the circle you will find various trails leading to an observation deck from which you can easily see flamingos, pelicans and tocororros. In the lagoon area  grow lemon and pear trees, avocados and guiras.

Museo Provincial is located in an old Spanish casino, a symbol of wealth, near Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Catedral de la Purisima Concepcion) in Cienfuegos.

This museum tells its visitors a piece of the history of Cienfuegos and also displays a collection of antiques represented by the luxurious furniture of the houses of the refined Franco-Cuban society of the 19th century and other decorative and applied arts.

Address: Avenida 54, at the corner of Calle 27., Cienfuegos, Cuba. Ticket price: 2 Convertible Pesos (CUC). Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00, Sundays from 10:00 to 12:00.

Museo Historico Naval Nacional is located in the former headquarters of the Southern Maritime Administration on the small cape of Cayo Loco, about five blocks north-west of Marti Park in the town of Cienfuegos.

To reach it, you have to cross a wide avenue, on both sides of which there are weapons from different eras. In this spot, in September 1957, a group of sailors and civilians led by Ensign Dionisio San Roman made an unsuccessful attempt at rebellion against the Batista regime. This uprising is an important and central theme of the museum's permanent exhibition, which has a room dedicated to it. Another room is dedicated to natural history - the history of the formation of the earth and marine fossils, with collections of various species of flora and fauna that are typical of the local habitat. In addition, there are expositions on the themes of interaction with the environment and navigation with the antique tools, and in one of the halls there is a replica of the captain's bridge. From the walls of the museum you can enjoy fantastic views of Yagua Bay.

Address: Avenida 60, on the corner with calle 21. Entry: 2 convertible pesos (CUC). Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 to 18:30, Sunday 9:00 to 13:00.

Municipal Museum of Santa Isabel de las Lajas (Museo de Municipal de Santa Isabel de las Lajas) was founded in 1982 and occupies a 19th century colonial style building.

This museum has an interesting collection of objects related to the life of Benny More, divided into three different themes and divided into separate rooms: Childhood and Youth, with objects testifying to Benny More's budding interest in music; the Creative Journey, with objects accompanying the artist at major concerts and important moments in his career; the Modernity Room, with images of Benny More, reflecting the perception and vision of modern society of the artist, as well as works of art inspired by the artist's personality.

Address: Calle Dr. Machín # 99 e/ Marti y Calixto Garcia, Santa Isabel de Las Lajas, Cienfuegos, Cuba. Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:30, Sunday from 9:00 to 13:00. Contact phone: 39361, Email: lajas@azurina.cult.cu.