Cienfuegos

In the south of the center of the island, this town is distinguished by the cleanliness of its harbor coastline, the wide streets of the Historic Center of the city and the charm of its elegant parks and buildings, which exude influences of the French settlers established there since 1819.

Founded in 1819 in the southern-central part of the island by colonists of French origin during the Spanish rule, the former settlement of Fernandina de Jagua was favoured by an accelerated development of the sugar industry and the port activity, which caused a splendid economic and cultural boom. The city was planned and built following the geometric principles of neoclassicism and enriched with elements of a spectacular eclecticism that is evidenced in the façades, pavements, woodworks, railings and stained glasses.

Among the exceptional urban values of Cienfuegos are its linear and symmetric layout oriented in the direction of the cardinal points, its marked constructive and stylistic homogeneity and a coherent link of the town with the sea, which gives the urban landscape a distinctive and attractive look. 

The big architectural landmarks that stand out in the historic centre accomplish an unusual environmental unity with the immense mass of buildings around them, what defines a homogeneous, compact and coherent image perceived as a whole. Because of its monumental richness and the variety of landscapes, where the outstanding elements are the lookout towers, the domes, the neoclassical pediments, the continuous façades, the big and small squares, the tree-lined promenades, and a harmonious assimilation of buildings representing art deco and rationalism, the historic centre of this city was declared National Monument in 1995. Ten years later, its exceptional values as an architectural ensemble representative of the ideas of modernity, hygiene and order in Latin American town planning during the 19th century led to the declaration of World Heritage. 

The city also has a botanical garden, two cemeteries with the rank of National Monument, a signifi cant agricultural-industrial heritage and a cultural wealth covering artistic traditions related to theatre, popular music, literature and plastic arts. The cosmopolitism inherited from the foundation time, the cultural mixture and the assimilation of values from the French, Spanish, African and Creole roots condition a tradition of hospitality, a culture of dialogue and a behavior that shape a safe and welcoming environment with respect to the visitor.