Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos
N 22° 08.739 W 080° 27.187
17Q E 556392 N 2449049
Dubbed "La Perla del Sur" (Pearl of the South), Cienfuegos is a beautifully restored city on the south coast of Cuba.
Waymark Code: WM5JBK
Location: Cuba
Date Posted: 01/12/2009
Views: 20
The colonial town of Cienfuegos was founded in 1819 in the Spanish territory but was initially settled by immigrants of French origin. It became a trading place for sugar cane, tobacco and coffee.
The city has served a port for country’s major agricultural crops (sugar cane, mango, tobacco and coffee).
The builings surrounding the Plaza Mayor are from the neoclassical style of the early 1800's.
The region has been no stranger to conflict. In 1898, the Spanish used the city during its defence from US Marines, and in September 1957 it was bombed during an uprising against then President Batista. In 2005, Hurricane Dennis made landfall close to the city, packing winds in excess of 230 km/h.
According to the UN Heritage listing entry, the city is the first, and an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble representing the new ideas of modernity, hygiene and order in urban planning as developed in Latin America from the 19th century.
Type: Site
Reference number: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1202
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