| The founding of Camaguey in central Cuba dates | | | | particularly based in cattle raising. Because of these |
| back to the early 1500's. Since that time, the city has | | | | regular attacks, additional security was desired, and it |
| seen a rich history, ranging from numerous pirate | | | | is believed the confusing layout of streets helped to |
| attacks, the construction of beautiful churches, Cuban | | | | hamper the efficiency of the raids. |
| independence fighters, and tinajones, the symbol of | | | | Camaguey is also known as the City of Churches. |
| the city. | | | | Having a very traditional catholic faith, its citizens |
| Santa Maria del Puerto del Principe was the name | | | | devoted themselves to the foundation of chapels, |
| given to the village once founded on the northern | | | | churches, and convents. Most notable are the |
| coast of the island one February 2nd, the day of our | | | | Parroquial Mayor, San Juan de Dios, San Francisco de |
| "Senora de la Candelaria", the patron saint of the | | | | Asis, Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, and Nuestra |
| village. However, the area chosen for the foundation | | | | Senora de la Merced. In the outskirts, there are |
| was extremely arid and it was transferred to the | | | | additional churches to be highlighted, including the |
| shores of the Caonao River in 1516 and, after an | | | | Church of Nuestra Senora de Santa Ana, Santo |
| uprising of aborigines, they definitively settled down | | | | Cristo del Buen Viaje, Nuestra Senora de la Caridad, |
| between the Tinima and Jatibonico rivers in 1528. | | | | and Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria. |
| The new settlement was located in the center of a | | | | Camaguey is also the cradle of notable Cuban |
| large plain of Camaguey's chieftainship. The name is | | | | patriots who joined the independence wars of 1868 |
| believed to originate from the Indo-Cuban term of | | | | and 1895. One figure to be highlighted among them is |
| "arauco" or CAMAGUA + EY. Camagua is a wild tree | | | | Ignacio Agramonte, known as "El Mayor" (The |
| of low soils found widely throughout the island, and | | | | Major), who took a leading role in numerous heroic |
| the ending -EY indicates a lineage origin or | | | | deeds, and whose love history with Amalia |
| descendant from. This is why the term CAMAGuEY | | | | constitutes an epic poem in the Cuban history. His |
| could indicate that caciques of the region were | | | | birthplace can be visited in the city, now a museum. |
| considered descendants from the spirit of that tree. | | | | The symbols of the Camaguey are, without a doubt, |
| Besides the geometrical order around the Plaza de | | | | the "tinajones" (large earthenware jars). These huge |
| Armas and the Main Church, Camaguey is a city that | | | | pieces of red pottery were introduced by Catalans |
| has grown without an apparent order, hence the | | | | and Andalusians to collect water in rainy days. They |
| labyrinthian layout of its streets. Camaguey was | | | | can be as large as 2 meters in diameter and they are |
| subject to continual harassment from pirates, | | | | commonly seen in gardens, parks, and especially in |
| corsairs, and bandits who more than once tried to | | | | the yards of Camaguey's Colonial houses where they |
| sack the city for the wealth of its economy, | | | | are still used to collect water. |