Page 154 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

152  CUBA REGION B Y REGION

w Isla de la Juventud Ensenada
de los Barcos
The naturalist Alexander von Humboldt (see p189) described Ciro Redondo
this island as an abandoned place, Robert Louis Stevenson
allegedly based his novel Treasure Island on it, Batista wanted
to turn it into a paradise for rich Americans, while Fidel Castro
repopulated it with young people, built universities and
changed its name to the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth). La Demajagua
With a surface area of 2,200 sq km (850 sq miles) and 86,000
inhabitants, this is the largest island in the Archipiélago de Atanagildo Cajigal
los Canarreos. Comparatively few tourists venture here, but
there are a few interesting sights and the diving is excellent. Mina de Oro
La Victoria
Neo-Classical style in 1853, this
church was totally destroyed
by a cyclone in 1926 and 0 km 5
rebuilt three years later in 0 miles 5
colonial style. Hotel Colony
South of the Parque Punta
Central, the former City Francés Ensenada
Hall building is now the de la Siguanea
home of the Museo Punta
Municipal. It displays Pedernales
many objects and
documents concerning
pirates and buccaneers –
the main protagonists in the
island’s history – as well as Cocodrilo
the inevitable photographs
Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, and mementos of the
in Nueva Gerona Revolution. Another museum,
the Casa Natal Jesús Montané,
Nueva Gerona is dedicated solely to the be seen together with the
Surrounded by hills that yield struggle against Fulgencio Southern Cross.
multicoloured marble, the small, Batista’s dictatorship. A few kilometres outside
peaceful town of Nueva Gerona The Museo de Historia of town is the rather forlorn
was founded in 1830 on the Natural Antonio Núñez American cemetery. In the
banks of the Las Casas river by Jiménez, covers the geological early 1900s, the Americans
Spanish settlers who, together and natural history of the island, declared La Isla part of their
with their slaves, had left and there is a fine planetarium overseas possessions; they only
countries on the American here as well, the only one in the relinquished sovereignty in
continent that had won world where the North Star can 1925. Ecotur can arrange visits.
their independence.
The town is built on a
characteristic grid plan and
the modern outskirts are in
continuous expansion. A good
starting point for a visit to
Nueva Gerona is Calle 39, the
graceful main street flanked by
coloured arcades. Here can be
found the local cinema, theatre,
pharmacy (which is always
open), post office, hospital,
bank, Casa de la Cultura and
numerous bars and restaurants.
This street ends at the Par que
Central, Nueva Gerona’s main
square, where the Iglesia
de Nuestra Señora de los
Dolores stands. First built in The harbour at Nueva Gerona, where fishermen moor their boats
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp258–9 and pp272–3

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