Page 218 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

216  CUBA REGION B Y REGION

1 Holguín

Called the city of parks because of its many leafy squares,
Holguín is a colonial town with a grid layout, situated
between two hills, Cerro de Mayabe and Loma de la Cruz.
The people of Holguín took an active part in the wars of
independence under the leadership of Calixto García, the
famous general who liberated the city from the Spanish
in 1872. The house he was born in is now a museum; Interior and main altar of Catedral de
the square named after him marks the centre of the city San Isidoro
and is dominated by a statue of the heroic general.
R Catedral de San Isidoro
Calle Manduley, e/ Luz Caballero y
Exploring Holguín town. Also on display are Aricochea, Parque Peralta. Tel (24) 422
Calle Maceo and Manduley – archaeological relics of the Taíno 107. Open 5:30–6:45pm Mon, 7am–
two parallel streets with shops, Indians, who lived here from noon & 3–5:30pm Tue & Fri, 7am–noon
hotels, bars and clubs, including the 8th to the 15th centuries. & 3–6:45pm Wed & Thu, 7am–noon &
the Casa de la Trova – cross The most famous item in the 7–8:45pm Sat & Sun. 5 daily.
three squares: Parque San José, collection is the Hacha de Consecrated as a cathedral in
Parque Calixto García and Holguín, a stone axe head 1979, San Isidoro was built in
Parque Peralta. Parque García, carved as a human figure. It was 1720 on the site of the first mass
always buzzing with people, discovered in the hills around held to celebrate the city’s
is the site of the town’s chief Holguín, and has become the founding: Parque Peralta. It is
monuments and museums symbol of the city. also known as Parque de Flores
including Casa Natal de because a flower market used
Calixto García. E Museo de Historia to be held here.
Natural Carlos de la Torre The church contains a copy of
P La Periquera (Museo Calle Maceo 129, e/ Martí y Luz the popular Madonna of Caridad,
Provincial de Holguín) Caballero. Tel (24) 423 935. the original of which is in the
Calle Frexes 198, e/ Libertad y Open 9am–noon, 12:30–5pm Basilica del Cobre near Santiago
Maceo. Tel (24) 463 395. Tue–Sat, 9am–noon Sun. de Cuba (see p225). On 4 April
Open 8am–noon, 12:30– & 8 Note: fee for photography there is a celebration in honour
4:30pm Tue–Sat, 8am–noon Sun. may apply. of the Virgin.
Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 26 Jul, 10 Holguín’s museum of natural
Oct, 25 Dec. & 8 Note: fee for history is housed in a brightly Bazar de Artesanía
photography may apply. painted building with a Two blocks north of Parque
This large Neo-Classical handsome portico and Calixto García is Bazar de
building with a courtyard Spanish tiling through- Artesanía, a charming
overlooks Parque Calixto Hacha de out. A mildly interesting indoor market selling a range
García. It was built in 1860 Holguín collection of birds and of handmade accessories,
as the private home of shells, including Polymita carved wooden ornaments
Spanish merchant Francisco snails from Baracoa (see p249), and seed and resin jewellery.
Roldán y Rodríguez. In 1868, at is on display, along with a The pedestrianized street
the beginning of the Ten Years’ 50-million-year-old fossil fish, outside the market is a
War (see p48), the building was found in the Sierra Maestra. peaceful spot to sit.
occupied by the
Spanish army and
converted into
barracks. Hence the
building’s nickname,
La Periquera, which
translates as “parrot
cage”, a reference to
the brightly coloured
uniforms of the
Spanish army.
Today, the building is
the home of the Museo
Provincial de Holguín,
where five rooms
illustrate the main
stages of the cultural
development of the Parque Calixto García, with La Periquera; behind, the Loma de la Cruz
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp262–3 and p275

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