Matanzas: a look at its places of interest

The Athens of Cuba celebrates, this October 12, its 330 years of founding, it is an eminently scenic city and its urban fabric is considered the 7th wonder of Cuban architecture. The Historic Center of the city of Matanzas is a National Monument, in addition, it was included in the Network of Heritage Cities of Cuba. We have many reasons to be proud of this beautiful city, and there are various places that you have to visit as you pass through here. We recommend these:

Vigia Square

It constitutes the founding nucleus of the city: its first Plaza de Armas. The city of Matanzas grew up around it, where high-value buildings such as the Sauto Theater, the Palacio de Junco Museum and the Fire Station still remain today.

Sauto Theater

Declared a National Monument, it constitutes the most important Cuban theater of the 19th century. Ana Pavlova, Sara Bernhardt, Adelina Patti, Tita Rufo and Mario Lanza paraded on its stage. It is the only theater in Cuba whose stalls can be raised to the level of the stage, thanks to original, restored English-made machinery; only two theaters in the world preserve such additions: La Scala in Milan and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

Fire Station

It is one of the most attractive buildings of its type in Cuba, made of stone and inspired by neoclassical architecture. In addition to being a barracks, it is a museum and houses objects and documents belonging to the different stages of its history.

Liberty Park

It constitutes the second Plaza de Armas of Matanzas. Since 1909, a distinguished sculptural group has been erected in the center: a sculpture that represents the Statue of Liberty symbolized by a woman with broken chains in her hands and another of José Martí more than 4m high.

Junco Palace Museum

It is a construction from 1838, an exponent of the neoclassical style of the time, avant-garde in construction styles. The building belonged to one of the richest owners of Matanzas: Don Vicente del Junco y Sardiñas, owner of large tracts of land and sugar mills. It treasures valuable objects such as the barreta with which the Bellamar Caves were discovered and the only Cuban mummy exhibited in a museum.

Hermitage of Monserrate

The church is one of the greatest exponents of Cuban colonial architecture and one of the main oratories of the 19th century. Neoclassical in style, this small but beautiful church was built by Catalan settlers residing in Matanzas. From the viewpoint you can enjoy a spectacular panoramic view of the city of Matanzas and the Yumirí Valley.

Castle of San Severino

It was the first and most important building in the city. Typical Renaissance military construction that formed the city's defensive system and contains a set of historical, architectural and functional values that made it worthy of the status of National Monument. It currently houses the Slave Route Museum.

Narváez Sailor Walk

On the banks of the San Juan River, this beautiful seaside promenade runs along Narváez Street, one of the centuries-old arteries of the city. Along with the beauty of the landscape, it has a cultural area where artists, painters and sculptors have their space.

Pharmaceutical Museum

Built as a pharmacy and inaugurated in 1882, it was owned by Doctor Ernesto Triolet. In May 1964 it opened its doors as the first pharmaceutical museum in Latin America. Currently, it preserves all the original elements and is the only French apothecary from the late 19th century that remains in the world. It was declared a National Monument in November 2007.

El Morrillo Museum

It was built in the first decade of the 18th century, in the year 1720. Building erected a few meters from the mouth of the Canímar River, it was part of the defensive belt of the city of Matanzas to protect against attacks by corsairs and pirates, seat of a record of customs and naval station. Today it is a Memorial Museum and National Monument.

Bellamar caves

Considered the oldest tourist center in Cuba, it was declared a National Monument since 1987. This cave system was discovered in 1861 by chance when a slave lost his bar. It treasures a set of caverns with more than 23 km of galleries. With more than 28 cavities, it shows numerous fossils and evidence of communities that inhabited the place about 1600 years ago. Inside there are abundant crystallizations, among which the one known as “Columbus's Mantle” stands out, a 32-century-old stalactite, the largest and oldest formation that appears in the form of a waterfall, 12m high.

Reed Palm Grove

Home of the first official baseball game held in Cuba on December 27, 1874, it has been a National Monument since 1991 and is considered the oldest active baseball stadium in the world. Since 2016, the Gallery of Fame for Matanzas baseball has also been on display, which includes 17 players who have been inducted in different halls of fame around the world and who constitute 24% of all those who hold this distinction in Cuba.

Yumuri Valley

It is one of the most beautiful in Cuba, with a plain that reaches 80 hectares in its widest part and elevations of up to 150m, in which important archaeological remains are preserved. It is enclosed by hills 150m high and reaches a maximum width of 8km. It includes the Cuabal de las Tres Ceibas de Clavellinas floristic reserve and the botanical endemism Melocactus Matarinanus, a cactus with a beautiful red flower. To appreciate its full magnitude, a mandatory stop is the Bacunayagua Viewpoint, next to the famous bridge of the same name, and the Monserrate Viewpoint.

Cathedral of Saint Charles Borromeo

The cathedral began to be built in 1693, although it was not completed until 1736. It underwent various renovations and, finally, received the title of cathedral in 1912. It is one of the greatest symbols of Cuban eclecticism of the 19th century, which combines in its structure different neoclassical and baroque elements.

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In short, the city of Matanzas is very special, do not pass by Varadero without knowing its charms. Consider spending a few nights here and exploring its main places of interest to visit. If you enjoy city tourism, we invite you to learn more about the cities of Cuba..

Échale un vistazo a los alojamientos que tenemos en la ciudad de Matanzas: