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Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. It is centrally located in the province and Cuba. Santa Clara is the fifth-most populous Cuban city, with a population of nearly 250,000.
Santa Clara was founded by 175 people on July 15, 1689. 138 of them represented two large families already living in the area, who owned land next to the new city. The other 37 came from seven other families and included a priest and governor, all originating in the coastal city of San Juan de los Remedios.
The population of Remedios had to choose between leaving their city, constantly being besieged by pirates, or staying. While most decided to stay, 37 people traveled south to the interior. On June 1, 1689, they arrived at a hill, joining two other families already present at the site. According to tradition, a mass was celebrated under a tamarind tree and Santa Clara was founded. Since then, the place under the tree has been known as ''Loma del Carmen'' (). A second-generation church was built in a park along the plaza. A monument commemorating the event is surrounded by a fourth-generation tamarind tree.
The settlement was originally called Cayo Nuevo, which was changed to Dos Cayos, Villa Nueva de Santa Clara, Pueblo Nuevo de Antón Díaz, Villa Clara, and finally Santa Clara.
Construction of the city began near Loma del Carmen. Following the Spanish standards, a perfect squared layout with a central plaza (Plaza Mayor, today known as Parque Vidal) was developed. The first buildings erected were the ''cabildo'' (city council) and a palm tree church. The latter building was replaced in 1725 with a brick one. It remained at the center of the Parque Vidal as Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís until August 22, 1923. It was demolished so that the plaza could be expanded and a new church built nearby. This decision by the mayor is still criticized to this day. Although the church was not of the finest architecture, it was one of the oldest colonial structures in the city and a part of its fabric. After the expropriation by the mayor and city council, religious officials complained and the court awarded 77,850 pesos in fines as a settlement to the church.
Soon after the city was founded, a theater, a chamber of commerce, meeting clubs, public libraries, and dance halls were erected as well. Positioned nearly in the center of the country, the city became a popular travelers' stop and a prominent transport hub; these conditions supported its steady growth. By the 19th century, Santa Clara was bigger and more populated than nearby towns, including what was once Remedios. As a necessary stop between Havana and the east of the country, the city became the capital of Las Villas province.
Two well-known figures are associated with Santa Clara: Marta Abreu de Estévez, a beloved native daughter known as "the Benefactress of the City", and Ernesto Che Guevara, a political activist and leader of the Cuban Revolution. Guevara is buried here, where he waged the final battle of the revolution that toppled the Fulgencio Batista government in 1958.
Abreu is notable for the numerous projects she and her family promoted through their philanthropy, intended to enhance the life of the citizens of Santa Clara. Abreu and her husband Luis Estévez, who became the first vice president of the young republic in 1902, were well-known sympathizers and contributors to the Cuban rebels' cause during the War of Cuban Independence against Spain. (This was the initial phase of the Spanish–American War; the US became involved in supporting some forces seeking independence.)
Abreu's legacy includes institutions all over the city: an electric plant building, several schools, an asylum, public laundry stations by the Belico River (two still exist, although in poor condition), the fire station a block off the Parque Vidal, and the train station near Loma del Carmen.
The most notable building is the Teatro La Caridad (a theater named in honor of the patron saint of Cuba, La Virgen de la Caridad – Our Lady of Charity). The theater can be seen from one of the corners of the Parque Vidal. Abreu was the project's sole financial sponsor. She supervised the design and construction of the theater. Although it is not as grandiose as the Teatro Tomás Terry in Cienfuegos city, the proceeds of the theater have been designated to support two schools that Abreu founded for the city's poor children. The schools, one for girls and one for boys, were located just behind the theater. Teatro La Caridad is one of the seven major theaters still standing from the colonial era in Cuba. Abreu also donated her own palace to the city; it was used as a provincial government palace and later adapted for use as a public library. Today, it houses the Biblioteca Martí (Martí Library), also located on the Parque Vidal. It is an example of neoclassical architecture and has highly decorated interiors. Santa Clara's university is named after Abreu. She is buried in the Colón cemetery of Havana.
Santa Clara was the site of the last battle of the Cuban Revolution in late 1958. Two guerrilla columns attacked the city; one was led by Ernesto Che Guevara and the other by
Santa Clara is crossed by the '' Carretera Central'' highway (CC) and Autopista A1 motorway. A
Sister cities of Bloomington
* Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic, Russia (2004)
* São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil (2005)
File:Hotel santa clara libre.jpg, The Santa Clara Libre hotel across Parque Vidal was the tallest building outside Havana during the 1950s and 1960s.
File:Marta Abreu train station across Martyrs Park in Santa Clara, Cuba - 2010.JPG, The Marta Abreu train station is located across Martyrs' Park. At the center is the truncated pillar monument dedicated to the martyrs of the Colonial Independence War.
File:5 Vidal-Santa-Clara.jpg, Parque Vidal in downtown Santa Clara
File:7 Monumento-Santa-Clara.jpg, Che Guevara's monument and museum
File:Iglesia del Carmen.jpg, Carmen Church, which is the oldest church in the city.
File:Teatro Caridad.jpg, Teatro La Caridad
"Santa Clara"
Collection of photos from Santa Clara 2007 to 2015
"Santa Clara's Rebel Saint"
by Egle Procuta, ''Globe and Mail'', November 11, 2006
"Che's Last Stand"
by Ed Ewing, ''The Guardian'', December 31, 2008
by Joseph Kula, ''The Province'', November 10, 2008 {{Authority control Cities in Cuba Populated places in Villa Clara Province 1680s in Cuba Populated places established in 1689 1689 establishments in the Spanish West Indies 1680s establishments in the Caribbean 17th-century establishments in Cuba
History
Santa Clara was founded by 175 people on July 15, 1689. 138 of them represented two large families already living in the area, who owned land next to the new city. The other 37 came from seven other families and included a priest and governor, all originating in the coastal city of San Juan de los Remedios.
The population of Remedios had to choose between leaving their city, constantly being besieged by pirates, or staying. While most decided to stay, 37 people traveled south to the interior. On June 1, 1689, they arrived at a hill, joining two other families already present at the site. According to tradition, a mass was celebrated under a tamarind tree and Santa Clara was founded. Since then, the place under the tree has been known as ''Loma del Carmen'' (). A second-generation church was built in a park along the plaza. A monument commemorating the event is surrounded by a fourth-generation tamarind tree.
The settlement was originally called Cayo Nuevo, which was changed to Dos Cayos, Villa Nueva de Santa Clara, Pueblo Nuevo de Antón Díaz, Villa Clara, and finally Santa Clara.
Construction of the city began near Loma del Carmen. Following the Spanish standards, a perfect squared layout with a central plaza (Plaza Mayor, today known as Parque Vidal) was developed. The first buildings erected were the ''cabildo'' (city council) and a palm tree church. The latter building was replaced in 1725 with a brick one. It remained at the center of the Parque Vidal as Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís until August 22, 1923. It was demolished so that the plaza could be expanded and a new church built nearby. This decision by the mayor is still criticized to this day. Although the church was not of the finest architecture, it was one of the oldest colonial structures in the city and a part of its fabric. After the expropriation by the mayor and city council, religious officials complained and the court awarded 77,850 pesos in fines as a settlement to the church.
Soon after the city was founded, a theater, a chamber of commerce, meeting clubs, public libraries, and dance halls were erected as well. Positioned nearly in the center of the country, the city became a popular travelers' stop and a prominent transport hub; these conditions supported its steady growth. By the 19th century, Santa Clara was bigger and more populated than nearby towns, including what was once Remedios. As a necessary stop between Havana and the east of the country, the city became the capital of Las Villas province.
Marta Abreu de Estévez
Two well-known figures are associated with Santa Clara: Marta Abreu de Estévez, a beloved native daughter known as "the Benefactress of the City", and Ernesto Che Guevara, a political activist and leader of the Cuban Revolution. Guevara is buried here, where he waged the final battle of the revolution that toppled the Fulgencio Batista government in 1958.
Abreu is notable for the numerous projects she and her family promoted through their philanthropy, intended to enhance the life of the citizens of Santa Clara. Abreu and her husband Luis Estévez, who became the first vice president of the young republic in 1902, were well-known sympathizers and contributors to the Cuban rebels' cause during the War of Cuban Independence against Spain. (This was the initial phase of the Spanish–American War; the US became involved in supporting some forces seeking independence.)
Abreu's legacy includes institutions all over the city: an electric plant building, several schools, an asylum, public laundry stations by the Belico River (two still exist, although in poor condition), the fire station a block off the Parque Vidal, and the train station near Loma del Carmen.
The most notable building is the Teatro La Caridad (a theater named in honor of the patron saint of Cuba, La Virgen de la Caridad – Our Lady of Charity). The theater can be seen from one of the corners of the Parque Vidal. Abreu was the project's sole financial sponsor. She supervised the design and construction of the theater. Although it is not as grandiose as the Teatro Tomás Terry in Cienfuegos city, the proceeds of the theater have been designated to support two schools that Abreu founded for the city's poor children. The schools, one for girls and one for boys, were located just behind the theater. Teatro La Caridad is one of the seven major theaters still standing from the colonial era in Cuba. Abreu also donated her own palace to the city; it was used as a provincial government palace and later adapted for use as a public library. Today, it houses the Biblioteca Martí (Martí Library), also located on the Parque Vidal. It is an example of neoclassical architecture and has highly decorated interiors. Santa Clara's university is named after Abreu. She is buried in the Colón cemetery of Havana.
Battle of Santa Clara
Santa Clara was the site of the last battle of the Cuban Revolution in late 1958. Two guerrilla columns attacked the city; one was led by Ernesto Che Guevara and the other by Camilo Cienfuegos
Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán (; 6 February 1932 – 28 October 1959) was a Cuban revolutionary born in Havana. Along with Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, Juan Almeida Bosque, and Raúl Castro, he was a member of the 1956 ''Granma (yacht), Granma'' ...
. Guevara's column first captured the garrison at Fomento. Using a bulldozer, Guevara's soldiers destroyed railroad tracks and derailed a train full of troops and supplies sent by Batista. At the same time, Cienfuegos's column defeated an army garrison at the Battle of Yaguajay
The Battle of Yaguajay (19 – 30 December 1958) was a decisive victory for the Cuban Revolutionaries over the soldiers of the Batista government near the city of Santa Clara in Cuba during the Cuban Revolution.
Background
In 1958, Fidel Castro ...
not far from town. On December 31, 1958, the combined forces of Guevara and Cienfuegos (along with other revolutionaries under William Alexander Morgan) attacked Santa Clara. The battle was chaotic, and the defenders became demoralized. Some fought; others surrendered without a shot. By the afternoon, the city was captured. This victory for Castro's troops is seen as the decisive moment in the Cuban Revolution, as Batista fled Cuba less than 12 hours later.
Geography
Located on a plain below a hillside, in the middle of the surrounding province, Santa Clara is from the Caribbean Sea (atCienfuegos
Cienfuegos (), capital of Cienfuegos Province, is a city on the southern coast of Cuba. It is located about from Havana and has a population of 150,000. Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has become one of Cuba's main industrial centers, especial ...
) and from the Atlantic Ocean (at Caibarién
Caibarién is a municipality city in the Villa Clara Province, Villa Clara province of Cuba.
Caibarién is known as "La Villa Blanca" () for its sands and beaches. They are famous for their "Parrandas" (Carnivals) along with Remedios, Cuba, Reme ...
). The municipality borders with the municipalities of Cifuentes, Camajuaní, Placetas
Placetas () is a city in the Villa Clara Province in the center of Cuba; before the change in the country's government in 1959 the province was called Las Villas. The town is also known as ''La Villa de los Laureles'' because of its wild laurel tr ...
, Manicaragua, and Ranchuelo.
The city is divided into several wards (''repartos''):
*America Latina
*Antón Díaz
*Bengochea
*Brisas del Capiro
*Camacho
*Camilo Cienfuegos
Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán (; 6 February 1932 – 28 October 1959) was a Cuban revolutionary born in Havana. Along with Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, Juan Almeida Bosque, and Raúl Castro, he was a member of the 1956 ''Granma (yacht), Granma'' ...
*Capiro
*Cardoso
*Centro
*Chambéry
*Domínguez
*El Carmen
*El Gigante
*El Vaquerito (Puerto Escondido)
*Escambray
*Escambray Este
*Escambray Norte
*José Martí
*Las Minas
*Los Sirios
*Moro
*Osvaldo Herrera (Dobarganes)
*Páez
*Raúl Sancho (Condado)
*San Daniel
*Sandino
*Santa Catalina
*Sub Planta
*Tenería
*Tirzo Díaz
*Universidad
*Vigía
*Vigía Sur
*Villa Josefa
*Virginia
Climate
Demographics
In 2004, the municipality of Santa Clara had a population of 237,581. With a total area of , it had a population density of .Attractions
Parque Vidal is located at the center of the city, taking up an entire square block. In the park, there is a statue of Marta Abreu, who is admired by the people of Santa Clara. Bordering the park is the Santa Clara Libre (formerly the Santa Clara Hilton), Gran Hotel, Teatro La Caridad (a National Monument of Cuba), Plaza del Mercado Central, the former city hall, and the Colonia Española de Santa Clara center of dance, exhibiting the most attractive and unique traditional customs of hinterland Cuba. Parque Vidal is one of the most quintessential Cuban places in Cuba. During the afternoons, people, especially singles, visit the park to meet others. Although not widely practiced in recent times, the custom was to walk around the park. The women walk along the inner part of the park, while the men walk along the outer side. Another lost custom is for locals to set up a platform and perform improvisations with their guitars on late Sunday afternoons. They dressed for that day with their guayaberas and highly polished shoes. Santa Clara is home to amausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be consid ...
that houses the remains of Che Guevara and sixteen of his fellow combatants killed in 1967 during the Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
campaign. There is also a reconstruction of Guevara derailing the train during the Battle of Santa Clara.
Prior to January 1, 1977, Santa Clara was located in Las Villas Province. On that date, as part of a general administrative reordering of Cuba's provinces, Las Villas Province was reordered into the provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos (), capital of Cienfuegos Province, is a city on the southern coast of Cuba. It is located about from Havana and has a population of 150,000. Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has become one of Cuba's main industrial centers, especial ...
, and Sancti Spíritus. Santa Clara is in the province now known as Villa Clara.
Other local landmarks include:
* Parque del Carmen
Parque del Carmen (Carmen's Park) is a park in Santa Clara, Cuba, which honors the city's founding. It is located in the ward (''reparto'') El Carmen, not too far from Martyr's Park and the railway station.
Overview
This old plaza is host to a s ...
(Carmen's Park) – foundation site of the city
* Parque de los Martires (Martyrs' Park)
* Parque de la Pastora (Our Lady Shepherdess Park)
* Parque de la Justicia (Justice's Park)
* Parque del Tren Blindado (The Armored Train Park-Museum ) – a National Monument of Cuba
* Mausoleo Che Guevara
The Che Guevara Mausoleum (, officially ''Conjunto Escultórico Memorial Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara'') is a memorial in Santa Clara, Cuba, located in "Plaza Che Guevara" (Che Guevara Square). It houses the remains of the revolutionary Ernesto ...
(Monument and Mausoleum of Ernesto "Che" Guevara)
* Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís (Saint Claire of Asis Cathedral)
* Boulevard 1889
* Centro Cultural El Mejunje (Cultural Centre "El Mejunje")
* Loma del Capiro – a hill overlooking the city
* Villa Clara Provincial Museum – showcases a collection of art and social and natural history
* University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas
The University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas ( es, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, UCLV) is an undergraduate and graduate public university located in Santa Clara, Cuba, founded in 1952 and having a remote campus called " Univers ...
– the province's secondary education institution
Transport
Santa Clara is crossed by the '' Carretera Central'' highway (CC) and Autopista A1 motorway. A ring road
A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop, bypass or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city, or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist i ...
serving the city is directly linked to the motorway. The main railway station, Santa Clara railway station, is part of the principal line of the country, the Havana-Santa Clara-Camagüey-Santiago. Abel Santamaría Airport, located to the north, is the city airport, serving flights to Italy, Canada, France, and Poland, along with domestic and other flights.
Education
Santa Clara is home to theUniversity "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas
The University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas ( es, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, UCLV) is an undergraduate and graduate public university located in Santa Clara, Cuba, founded in 1952 and having a remote campus called " Univers ...
( es, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas (UCLV)), which is composed of a number of faculties:
* Electrical Engineering
* Agricultural Sciences
* Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Sciences
* Humanities
* Law
* Psychology
* Social Sciences
* Construction
* Managerial Sciences
* Mechanical Engineering
* Chemistry and Pharmacy
* Distance Education
The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees and boasts the graduation of 35,000 engineers, licensees, architects, medics, and veterinarians, of which 1,000 are foreigners from 47 countries. Additionally, it has educated more than 310 doctors and more than 1600 magisters. The university collaborates with institutions from Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Spain, Peru, Mexico, and Venezuela.
Santa Clara is also home to the Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Villa Clara
Universidad (Spanish for "university") may refer to:
Places
* Universidad, San Juan, Puerto Rico
* Universidad (Madrid)
Football clubs
* Universidad SC, a Guatemalan football club that represents the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
...
, founded in 1966.
Notable people
* Marta Abreu (1845−1909), benefactress * José Bernal, artist *Yuniesky Betancourt
Yuniesky Betancourt Pérez (born January 31, 1982) is a Cuban former professional baseball shortstop. Betancourt played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Kansas City Royals. He played in the Cuban ...
, Major League Baseball shortstop
* Mike Cuellar, Major League Baseball pitcher
* Aledmys Díaz
Aledmys Díaz Serrano (born August 1, 1990) is a Cuban professional baseball utility player for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Houston ...
, Major League Baseball shortstop
* Newton Estape Vila, photographer and journalist
* José Fernández (1992−2016), Major League Baseball pitcher
* Mirka Francia, Cuban-Italian volleyball player
* Rubén González, pianist
* Benny 'Kid' Paret
Bernardo Paret (March 14, 1937 – April 3, 1962), known as Benny Paret or Benny "Kid" Paret, was a Cuban welterweight boxer who won the World Welterweight Championship twice in the early 1960s.
Paret's death occurred 10 days after injuries ...
(1937−1962), boxer
* Moraima Secada
Moraima Secada (born María Micaela Secada Ramos (10 September 1930 – 30 December 1984), known to her admirers as ''La Mora'' (the moor), was a temperamental singer who created a special style of interpretation within the Cuban music genre o ...
, singer
* Miguel Díaz-Canel, 17th president of Cuba
* Gerardo Machado y Morales, general, 5th president of Cuba (1925–1933)
* Marilyn Pupo, Cuban-Puerto Rican actress and television host
* Dafnis Prieto
Dafnis Prieto (born July 31, 1974) is a Cuban-American drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator.
Career
In his home town of Santa Clara, Cuba, Prieto studied percussion and guitar. During his teens, he moved to Havana to study at the Nati ...
Cuban-American drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator
International relations
Twin towns/Sister cities
Santa Clara istwinned
Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to:
* In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so;
* Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning
* Twinning inst ...
with:
* Cali, Colombia (1994)
* Oviedo, Asturias, Spain (1995)
* Bloomington, Indiana, United States (1999)Image gallery
References
External links
"Santa Clara"
Collection of photos from Santa Clara 2007 to 2015
"Santa Clara's Rebel Saint"
by Egle Procuta, ''Globe and Mail'', November 11, 2006
"Che's Last Stand"
by Ed Ewing, ''The Guardian'', December 31, 2008
by Joseph Kula, ''The Province'', November 10, 2008 {{Authority control Cities in Cuba Populated places in Villa Clara Province 1680s in Cuba Populated places established in 1689 1689 establishments in the Spanish West Indies 1680s establishments in the Caribbean 17th-century establishments in Cuba