Located right in the middle of Cuba the town of Camagüey was central in the Spanish development of the island. And they left their traces.
The UNESCO World Heritage List includes more than a thousand properties with outstanding universal value. They are all part of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Official facts
- Full title of site: Historic Centre of Camagüey
- Country: Cuba
- Date of Inscription: 2008
- Category: Cultural site
UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre’s short description of site no. 1270:
“One of the first seven villages founded by the Spaniards in Cuba, Camagüey played a prominent role as the urban centre of an inland territory dedicated to cattle breeding and the sugar industry. Settled in its current location in 1528, the town developed on the basis of an irregular urban pattern that contains a system of large and minor squares, serpentine streets, alleys and irregular urban blocks, highly exceptional for Latin American colonial towns located in plain territories.
The 54 ha Historic Centre of Camagüey constitutes an exceptional example of a traditional urban settlement relatively isolated from main trade routes. The Spanish colonizers followed medieval European influences in terms of urban layout and traditional construction techniques brought to the Americas by their masons and construction masters. The property reflects the influence of numerous styles through the ages: neoclassical, eclectic, Art Deco, Neo-colonial as well as some Art Nouveau and rationalism.”
My visit
Camagüey was a nice place. However my impressions were totally drowned by the fact that I had problems finding transportation out of the city. Too bad. In addition my camera equipment was stolen later on.