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Cienfuegos

Coordinates: 22°08′44″N 80°26′11″W / 22.14556°N 80.43639°W / 22.14556; -80.43639
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(Redirected from History of Cienfuegos)
For other uses, see Cienfuegos (disambiguation).
Cienfuegos
Municipality
Typical old street in Cienfuegos
Typical old street in Cienfuegos
Flag of Cienfuegos
Flag
Coat of arms of Cienfuegos
Coat of arms
Nickname: 
La Perla del Sur (Pearl of the South)
Cienfuegos municipality (red) within Cienfuegos Province (yellow) and Cuba
Cienfuegos municipality (red) within
Cienfuegos Province (yellow) and Cuba
Coordinates: 22°08′44″N 80°26′11″W / 22.14556°N 80.43639°W / 22.14556; -80.43639
CountryCuba
ProvinceCienfuegos
Founded1819[1]
Government
 • PresidentSantiago González Acosta
Area
[2]
 • Total
333 km2 (129 sq mi)
Elevation
25 m (82 ft)
Population
 (2022)[3]
 • Total
178,368
 • Density540/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
DemonymCienfuegueros
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
Postal code
55100–55500
Area code+53 43
Vehicle registrationCF
Websitecienfueguero.gob.cu
Official nameUrban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos
TypeCultural
Criteriaii, v
Designated2005 (29th session)[4]
Reference no.1202
RegionLatin 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, UNESCO inscribed the Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos on the World Heritage List, citing Cienfuegos as the best extant example of early 19th century Spanish Enlightenment implementation in urban planning.[8] The downtown area contains six buildings from 1819–50, 327 buildings from 1851 to 1900, and 1188 buildings from the 20th century.

History

[edit]
See also: Timeline of Cienfuegos
"Castle at the Entrance to Cienfuegos" (Colonial-era Castillo de Jagua), painting of 1855, by Granville Perkins. Boston Public Library.[9]
Cienfuegos City Hall
Cienfuegos (Cuba) view from Punta Revienta-Cordeles, in 1856 by French-born Édouard Laplante and Leonardo Barañano. Firestone Library, Princeton University.[10][11][12]

The area where the city lies was identified as Cacicazgo de Jagua by early Spanish conquistadors. It was originally settled by Ciboney (Taino) indigenous people. Cacicazgo translates from the Taino language as "chiefdom". Cacicazgo de Jagua was therefore the chiefdom of Chief Jagua.

The city was later settled by French immigrants from Bordeaux and Louisiana led by Don Louis de Clouet on 22 April 1819.[1] The settlers named the city Fernandina de Jagua in honor of King Ferdinand VII of Spain and local Ciboneyan-Chief Jagua.[13] The settlement successively became a town (villa) in 1829, renamed for Asturian-born José Cienfuegos Jovellanos, Captain General of Cuba (1816–19), and a city in 1880. Many of the streets in old town reflect French origins in their names: Bouyón, D'Clouet, Hourruitiner, Gacel, and Griffo, for instance.

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 11 May 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 5 September 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 flotilla of Soviet naval vessels visited the city, which included two barges used to store and transport nuclear waste and a submarine maintenance vessel. Their presence was detected by U-2 reconnaissance aircraft of the United States Air Force that were sent out to monitor the Cuban coastline after a suspicious Soviet request to renegotiate the terms of the Kennedy–Khrushchev agreements of 1962 that were made in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis, with many American intelligence analysts concluding that the Soviet Navy was planning to construct a submarine base in Cienfuegos. This was interpreted by some to be in violation of the 1962 agreements between Kennedy and Khrushchev. However, because of a détente between the Soviet Union and the United States since 1962, no major military or diplomatic confrontation ensued, and the Soviets agreed to withdraw their ships after American National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger informed Soviet ambassador to the United States Anatoly Dobrynin that the United States government believed the presence of these naval vessels to be a violation of the agreements made eight years before.[18]

In 2005, Hurricane Dennis made its second landfall near Cienfuegos at about 1:00PM AST (17:00 UTC) with winds of 232 km/h (144 mph) and gusts reaching 285 km/h (177 mph).

Geography

[edit]
Tree-lined residential street in Cienfuegos in 2009

Near the entrance to Cienfuegos Bay is Castillo de Jagua (full name: Castillo de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de Jagua), a fortress erected in 1745 for protection against Caribbean pirates.

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

[edit]

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Cienfuegos has a tropical savanna climate, abbreviated "Aw" on climate maps.

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Cienfuegos fields a team in the Cuban National Series, the Cienfuegos Elefantes. Since joining the league in 1977–78, the best finish the Camaroneros have achieved is a 3rd place showing in the 2010–11 Cuban National Series. Despite finishing with the best record at 59–31, the Elefantes lost the semifinals in six games to the eventual champions, the Pinar del Río Vegueros.

Attractions

[edit]
Tower entrance of the Palacio del Valle.
Sunset at Rancho Luna Beach
El Nicho, Cienfuegos

Transportation

[edit]

The city is served by Jaime González Airport, which, as of 2024, has only one scheduled flight to Toronto.

Notable people

[edit]

Sister cities

[edit]

Cienfuegos has the following sister cities:

[edit]
  • Cienfuegos Cathedral and Medici Lions
    Cienfuegos Cathedral and Medici Lions
  • Castle of Jagua
    Castle of Jagua
  • The Promenade of Cienfuegos
    The Promenade of Cienfuegos
  • The central Calle D'Clouet with the "Hotel La Unión" (left) and the railtrack remains of the former urban tramway
    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 in Cienfuegos
  • Teatro Tomás Terry, postcard of 1915.
    Teatro Tomás Terry, postcard of 1915.
  • Kiosko
    Kiosko
  • Old Yacht Club building, inaugurated in 1920.
    Old Yacht Club building, inaugurated in 1920.
  • Rear facade of the Old Yacht Club building, photo of 1925.
    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.
    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.
    Postcard showing the Calle D'Clouet, Cienfuegos, in 1905.
  • The Kiosko Glorieta, Cienfuegos, in 1921.
    The Kiosko Glorieta, Cienfuegos, in 1921.
  • Arimao River, Cienfuegos, postcard of 1915.
    Arimao River, Cienfuegos, postcard of 1915.
  • College Church of Los Dominicos, was inaugurated in 1906, postcard of 1921.
    College Church of Los Dominicos, was inaugurated in 1906, postcard of 1921.
  • Cienfuegos, 1909
    Cienfuegos, 1909

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Cienfuegos". Guije.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  2. ^ a b Statoids (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba". Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  3. ^ a b "Cienfuegos (Municipality, Cuba) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  4. ^ "Decision: 29 COM 8B.53". Decisions of the 29th Session of the World Heritage Committee (PDF). Durban: UNESCO. 2005. p. 143.
  5. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cienfuegos" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 364.
  6. ^ Cederlöf, Gustav (2020). "The Revolutionary City: Socialist Urbanisation and Nuclear Modernity in Cienfuegos, Cuba" (PDF). Journal of Latin American Studies. 52: 53–76. doi:10.1017/S0022216X19000920.
  7. ^ a b c d "Cienfuegos y su historia". jaguabay.com.
  8. ^ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos". whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Six Cuban Views - Castle at the Entrance of Cienfuegos". picryl.com. 1874.
  10. ^ "Isla Cuba Pintoresca, Laplante". Graphics Arts Collection, Special Collections, Firestone Library, Princeton University website. 1856.
  11. ^ "CIENFUEGOS (CUBA) BY LAPLANTE". Pontes Maps. 1856.
  12. ^ "CUBAN ART. LITHOGRAPHY BY EDUARDO LAPLANTE. DE ISLA DE CUBA PINTORESCA, 1856". worthpoint.com.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Santa Clara railway station (Cuba)
  15. ^ Zanetti Lecuona, Oscar; García Alvarez, Alejandro (27 June 2002). Sugar & Railroads: A Cuban History, 1837–1959. Scholarly Book Services Inc. pp. 51–53. ISBN 978-0807846926.
  16. ^ "Castro speech commemorates Moncada assault". lanic.utexas.edu. University of Texas. Archived from the original on 2006-09-08.
  17. ^ Cederlöf, Gustav (2020). "The Revolutionary City: Socialist Urbanisation and Nuclear Modernity in Cienfuegos, Cuba" (PDF). Journal of Latin American Studies. 52: 53–76. doi:10.1017/S0022216X19000920.
  18. ^ Griesdorf, Michael Jeffrey (17 July 2008). "Norms as a rhetorical competition: Soviet–American confrontations over Cuba, 1970–85". Cold War History. 8 (3): 299–326. doi:10.1080/14682740802222098. S2CID 218578295. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Cuba–Cienfuegos". Centro de Investigaciones Fitosociológicas. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  20. ^ Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  21. ^ "Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores - Gobierno - gob.mx". www.sre.gob.mx. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  22. ^ http://www.sre.gob.mx/coordinacionpolitica/images/stories/documentos_gobiernos/rai/jal/jal40.pdf

Bibliography

[edit]
See also: Bibliography of the history of Cienfuegos
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cienfuegos.
Wikisource has the text of The New Student's Reference Work article "Cienfuegos".
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