Matanzas, Cuba

Matanzas, Cuba
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scenes_of_Cuba_(K5_02515)_(5978544497).jpg
Author: Emmanuel Huybrechts
photo licensing

Matanzas is a city on the northern coast of Cuba, about 90 km (51 mi) to the east of Havana. It covers 317 sq km (122.4 sq mi) and has a population of 144,000 people (2011 estimate). It serves as the provincial capital of Matanzas Province. The city is today an industrial town and one of the four most important sugar explorting ports in the world.

The city of Matanzas is on the Bay of Matanzas. There are three main rivers that flow through Matanzas. All the three rivers empty into the bay within the city. The city has seventeen river bridges, leading to it being known as a City of Bridges.

Matanzas was founded in 1693 and was originally known as San Carlos y San Severino de Matanzas. The name Matanzas means "massacre", and points to an incident where 30 Spanish soldiers on their way to attack a native camp was tricked by the local fishermen and drowned.

Iglesia de San Pedro Apostol, a church in Matanzas, Cuba
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iglesia_de_San_Pedro_Apostol_(5977772759).jpg
Author: Emmanuel Huybrechts
photo licensing

Visiting Matanzas

There are buses from Havana and Varadero to Matanzas.

Sights & Attractions in Matanzas

Ediciones Vigía
Publishing house specializing in hand-crafted books. Visitors can watch as each book is hand made.
Museo Farmacéutico de Matanzas
Formerly a pharmacy in the late 19th century, this building overlooking Parque Libertad was converted into a museum in 1964 on pharmaceuticals, with displays of small bottles of herbs and elixirs.
Museo Provincial
Museum that showcases the local artifacts from Pre-Columbian period to 1959. There are displays relating the history of slavery and sugar.
Parque Libertad
A public square that was formerly the parade ground, it is located on the site of a former Indian village. There is a statue of José Martí in the middle of the square.
Plaza de la Vigía
Town square with the statue of the unknown soldier commemorating the war of independence.
Teatro Sauto
One of the most important historical building in Matanzas, the theater was opened to the public in 1863.

Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

PG Food Channel

Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Robbie's Roadmap

Terms & Condition of Use | Privacy Policy