Sancti Spíritus, Cuba

Sancti Spíritus is a municipality an caipital ceety o the province o Sancti Spíritus in central Cuba. Sancti Spíritus, Laitin for "Holy Spirit," is ane o the best preservit ceeties in the Caribbean frae the time o the succar tred.

Sancti Spíritus
Municipality
Yayabo Brig ower the Yayabo River
Location o Sancti Spíritus in Cuba
Coordinates: 21°56′2″N 79°26′38″W
Kintra	Cuba
Province	Sancti Spíritus
Foondit	1514
Area
• Total	1151 km2 (444 sq mi)
Elevation	75 m (246 ft)
Population  (2004)
• Total	133,843
• Density	116.3/km2 (301/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
Area code(s)	+53-41

History

The ceety wis foondit bi Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar in 1514. Francisco Iznaga, a rich Basque laundawner in the wastren portion o Cuba durin the first thirty years o the colonisation o Cuba, wis electit mayor o Bayamo in 1540. Iznaga wis the oreeginator o a pouerful lineage that feenally settled in Sancti Spiritus an Trinidad whaur Torre Iznaga is. Iznaga's descendants focht for the Unthirldom o Cuba an the Annexation tae the US frae 1820 tae 1900.

The Parroquial Mayor is locatit twa blocks sooth o the toun's main square; it is a venerable green-touered kirk whose early 16t-century oreegins mak it the kintra's auldest. Nearbi is the Museo de Arte Colonial (Colonial Airt Museum), ane o Sancti Spíritus's maist splendid colonial hames an a staundoot attraction. The opulent umwhile palatial mansion o the Valle Iznaga clan, ane o Cuba's maist elite faimilies who fled Cuba efter Fidel's Revolution, it became the property o the state in 1961. Ninety percent o wha you see inside, frae furnitur tae paintins, is oreeginal. Tho the faimily obviously kept an impressive collection o Limoges porcelain, French gildit mirrors, Italian marble tables, an Baccarat crystal chandeliers here, it wisna thair primary residence; the hoose wis uised maistly tae host faimily memmers in transit, sae the furnishins wur rather eclectic. The three bedrooms are decoratit in grand style, tho, wi handmade lace, embroidered sheets, an haund-paintit gless. Thare is a gorgeous an vera Cuban leather sillón fumador (smokin chair) an, in the muisic room, the mid-18t-century American piano, ane o anerlie twa o its teep in Cuba. In the tearoom is the faimily seal, which says a lot aboot the arrogance o the rich an pouerful: "El que más vale no vale tanto como Valle vale" ("He who haes the greatest wirth isna wirth as much as a Valle is wirth"—playin aff the Spainyie wird for "wirth" wi the faimily surname).

Anither interestin laundmerk is ane o Cuba's aulder brigs ower the Yayabo river. Built in 1815 wi clay bricks it forms five aircs, the centre bein 9 metres heich. The entire brig is anerlie 85 meters lang an wis designed for pedestrians an carriages durin colonial-era Cuba but haes sicweys far resistit hivier modren traffeck.

Sancti Spíritus haes a warldwide famous Medical Varsity locatit at the Main road in Olivos III. It haes students frae aw ower the warld representin 34 naitionalities. It is the hame o the Sancti Spíritus Gallos basebaw team an aw.

Gallery

• 
  Street shop
• 
  Street shop
• 
  Street scene
• 
  Street scene
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  Museo de Arte Colonial
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  Horse wi cairt
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  Street scene
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  Doorwey
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  Street shop (frae sleepin ruim)
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  Oldtimer
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  Pedestrian zone
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  Agricultural Mercat
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  "Seembols o the Faitherland"
• 
  Agricultural Mercat
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  Agricultural Mercat
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  The Parroquial Mayor, Cuba's auldest kirk, in Sancti Spiritus center
• 
  Parroquial Mayor
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  Side Altar, Parroquial Mayor
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  "The Last Supper", Parroquial Mayor

Geografie

The municipality is dividit intae the barrios o Banao, Bellamota, Bijabo, Guasimal, Guayos, Hospital, Jíbaro, Manacas, Mapos, Paredes, Paula, Pelayo, Pueblo Nuevo, San Andrés, Tuinicú, Tunas de Zaza an Zaza del Medio.

The Zaza Reservoir is locatit soothwast o the ceety.

The ceety haes a central pairk which is a place o great entertainment for the bodies o aw ages.

Demographics

In 2004, the municipality o Sancti Spíritus haed a population o 133,843. Wi a tot aurie o 1,151 km² (444 sq mi), this means a population densitie o 116.3/km² (301/sq mi).

See an aw

• Municipalities o Cuba
• Leet o ceeties in Cuba

Freemit airtins

• Information for tourists
• (in Spaingie) Historic Ceety wabpage