AN indigenous legend relates how the exceptional geographical conditions in the region where the city of Cienfuegos is located are the result of events linked to the tragic slaying of the young son of Guanaroca.

Leaving aside the details of this sad story, what is certain is that making the most of the natural landscape – blessed as it is with an exceptional bay – and a flourishing trading center in the vicinity, a group of French colonialists led by Don Luis De Clouet, founded, on April 22, 1819, the Fernadina de Jugua Colony, a combination of the names of Fernando VII, king of Spain and the name given to that region by the indigenous inhabitants.

"Celebrating the anniversary of a city always leads us to reflect on how we have treated her and what we will leave behind for future generations, recognizing on this occasion that we are talking about one of the country’s youngest cities and one which made its mark among those founded in the 19th century," affirmed Irán Millán Cuétara, provincial director of the City Conservation Office, referring to the 190th anniversary of the founding of Cienfuegos.

"In order to better understand the rapid development of what is known as "the Pearl of the South", emphasized Millán, "we have to link the city with several essential elements that have led to its success: economic, cultural, social, and of course, heritage, which is the reflection of each of the former combined.

"We could also mention the quality of the soil that has benefited agriculture, particularly in relation to sugar-cane cultivation. Likewise, the railroads allowed us to transport the wealth of the sugar cane industry and put it to use in one of the most viable and secure ports in the country and the Caribbean as a whole."

Ten years after its creation, the Fernandina de Jagua Colony had already secured the title "Villa de Cienfuegos", named after Cuba’s Captain General and as a tribute to him.

By 1880, it was considered a city, possessing the attributes of a modern 19th century metropolis because, as Millán Cuétara explained, it broke with the colonial trilogy of the plaza, the city hall and the church, giving rise to an explosion of social facilities with the presence of theaters, educational and entertainment centers, promenades, parks and avenues, similar to the Parisian boulevards.

"In addition," continued the conservationist, "cemeteries were built adjoining churches, and banks and hotels were also constructed. We should recall that in the 18th century, Cienfuegos had 18 foreign consulates, which is why we speak of its cosmopolitan nature, and this led to the construction of 50-plus buildings used for accommodation."

In the 20th century, this city boasted a well-thought out and preserved infrastructure reflecting a sense of modernity. To a large extent, this was possible thanks to a sense of belonging on the part of its population, who committed themselves to taking care of this enclave and protecting the aforementioned features, Irán confirmed.

With the triumph of the Revolution, the "beautiful ocean city" as it is also known, was transformed into an important center of industrial development. Principally, this involved the construction of a large number of factories and other economic facilities on the southern side of the bay. The port services were extensive with new mooring jetties. But also, from an urban point of view, densely populated settlements were constructed on all sides of the city.

More recently, the reactivation of the oil refinery by a Cuban-Venezuelan joint enterprise – as part of the ALBA agreements – has prompted new projects related to the expansion of facilities at the petrochemical complex.

Preparations have been underway for almost a year in order to ensure very special celebrations during the Week of Culture (April 16-22) given that it is also the 190th anniversary of the city. But we are also celebrating the centenary of the birth of the writer and researcher Florentino Morales, the 70th anniversary of our own Orquesta Aragón and the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, explained Caridad Abreus Ruiz, provincial director of culture.

She explained that these are incentives to multiply expressions of creativity, both on the part of local residents and national artists.

The provincial institutions have been working on those objectives within the municipality of Cienfuegos, the main protagonist of the program, composed of 226 activities in the vast majority of popular councils. "We have been supported by the leadership of the Communist Party, the government, other organizations throughout the country and, of course, the whole population," emphasized Caridad.