Matanzas

Matanzas is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. Known for its poets, lifestyle, and Afro Cuban folklore, it is placed on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas, 90 kilometres east of the capital Havana and 32 kilometres west of the lodge city of Varadero. Matanzas is referred to as the City of Bridges, for the seventeen bridges that move the 3 rivers that traverse the city. For this purpose it was known as the "Venice of Cuba." It changed into additionally known as "La Atenas de Cuba" for its poets.

Matanzas is known as the birthplace of the song and dance traditions danzon and rumbaMatanzas become based in 1693 as San Carlos y San Severino de Matanzas. This followed a royal decree issued on September 25, 1690, which decreed that the bay and port of Matanzas be settled through 30 households from the Canary Islands. Matanzas changed into one of the areas that noticed intensive development of sugar plantations for the duration of the colonial generation. Consequently, many African slaves had been imported to aid the sugar enterprise, particularly for the duration of the primary 1/2 of the 19th century.