Holguín

Holguín
City

Coat of arms

Holguín municipality (red) within
Holguín Province (yellow) and Cuba
Location of Holguín in Cuba
Coordinates: 20°53′13″N 76°15′33″W / 20.88694°N 76.25917°W / 20.88694; -76.25917Coordinates: 20°53′13″N 76°15′33″W / 20.88694°N 76.25917°W / 20.88694; -76.25917
Country  Cuba
Province Holguín
Established 1523[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 655.9 km2 (253.2 sq mi)
Elevation 5 m (16 ft)
Population (2011)[3]
 • Total 346,191
 • Density 528/km2 (1,370/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Holguinero,-a
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4
Area code(s) +53 24
Vehicle registration O
Website Official website
San José Church
Frexes Street in Holguin

Holguín (Spanish pronunciation: [olˈɣin]) is a municipality and city in Cuba, and the capital of Province of Holguín. It also includes a tourist area, offering beach resorts in the outskirts of the region. After Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Camagüey, it is the fourth largest city in Cuba.

History

It was founded as San Isidoro de Holguín in 1545,[4] and it is named after its founder Captain García Holguín, a Spanish military officer. Prior to 1976, Holguín was located in the province of Oriente. In Pope Francis's visit to the United States, in September 2015, he visited Cuba before the U.S., and while in Cuba, he visited the Diocese of Holguín to, among other things, commemorate the location where Christopher Columbus landed.

Geography

The municipality is divided into the barrios of Aguarás, Aguas Claras, Alcalá, Arroyo Blanco del Sur, Báguanos, Cabezuelas, Cacocún, Calderón, Camazán, Cauto del Cristo, Corralillo, Cruces de Purnio, Damián, Floro Pérez, Gibara, Guabasiabo, Guayabal, Guirabo, Haticos del Purial, La Aguada, La Cuaba, La Palma, La Rioja, Las Calabazas, Managuaco, Melones, Norte, Omaja, Purnio, San Agustín, San Andrés, San Francisco, San Juan, San Lorenzo, Santa Rita, Sur, Tacámara, Tasajeras, Uñas, Uñitas, Velasco, Yareyal and Yayal.[1]

Infrastructure

There are several small city parks such as Parque Infantil, Parque San José, Parque San Isidoro, Parque Martí among others, most central the Calixto García in the downtown area. Close by one finds the galleries Centro Provincial de Arte and Bayado, a library, the club Casa de la Trova, the Martí cinema, the Theatre Eddy Suñol, the Province Museum La Periquera, a science museum, and a history museum. From the hill Loma de la Cruz, where a large crucifix is installed, which can be ascended by its 450 stairs, one can oversee the whole city.

Holguín has a baseball stadium. The Frank País International Airport (city code HOG) is connected to Havana and several other world destinations.

Education

The main post-secondary education institution is the University of Holguín "Oscar Lucero Moya" (Spanish: Universidad de Holguín "Oscar Lucero Moya", UHO).

Other post-secondary educational centers are Universidad de Ciencias Médicas "Mariana Grajales" (University of Medical Sciences) and Instituto Superior Pedagógico "José de la Luz y Caballero", ISPH (Pedagogical Institute of Holguin).

Economy

The brewery Cervecería Bucanero - a joint venture with Labatt of Canada - is based in the city. It makes three brands of beer (Bucanero, Cristal and Mayabe) sold in convertible pesos.

Near Holguín, the Villa El Quinque and the Villa El Cocal receive patients like Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona who was treated for his cocaine addiction there. The popular Playa Pesquero resort (Fishing Beach) is located on the coast north of Holguín city, about an hour's drive from the International Airport.

Holguín is also a popular destination for Canadians with resorts nearby and is home to one of two Canadian Consulates in Cuba.

Demographics

In 2004, the municipality of Holguín had a population of 326,740.[3] With a total area of 666 km2 (257 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 490.6/km2 (1,271/sq mi).

Transportation

Holguín is served by Frank País Airport (HOG/MUHG), located at 20°47´08"N, 076°18´54"W.

Notable residents

Sister cities

References

  1. 1 2 Guije.com. "Holguín" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  2. 1 2 Statoids. "Municipios of Cuba". Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  3. 1 2 Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  4. ↑ Guije.com (September 2004). "Ciudad de Holguin". Retrieved 2007-02-17.
  5. ↑ Hijuelos, Oscar, Thoughts Without Cigarettes: A Memoir, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Interactive City Directory". Sister Cities International. Retrieved 12 March 2014.

Bibliography

See also: Bibliography of the history of Holguín
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