Introduction
Municipality in Cuba
For other uses, see Matanzas (disambiguation).
Municipality in CubaMatanzas
San Carlos y San Severino de MatanzasMunicipalityThe city and bay of Matanzas
SealNicknames: La Atenas de CubaVenice of CubaCity of BridgesMatanzas municipality (red) within Matanzas Province (yellow) and CubaCoordinates: 23°03′4″N 81°34′31″W / 23.05111°N 81.57528°W / 23.05111; -81.57528CountryCubaProvinceMatanzasSettled1572Founded1693Established1695Area • Municipality317 km2 (122 sq mi)Elevation20 m (66 ft)Population (2022) • Municipality163,631 • Density516/km2 (1,340/sq mi) • Urban151,555 • Rural12,076DemonymMatancero/aTime zoneUTC-5 (EST)Postal code40100Area code+53 52
Matanzas (Latin American Spanish: [maˈtansas]; Lucumi: Ayá Áta) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas (Spanish Bahia de Matanzas), 102 kilometres (63 mi) east of the capital Havana and 32 kilometres (20 mi) west of the resort town of Varadero.
Matanzas is called the City of Bridges, for the seventeen bridges that cross the three rivers that traverse the city (Rio Yumuri, San Juan, and Canimar). For this reason it was referred to as the "Venice of Cuba." It was also called "La Atenas de Cuba" ("The Athens of Cuba") for its poets.
Matanzas is known as the birthplace of the music and dance traditions danzón and rumba.
History
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See also: Timeline of Matanzas
Libertad Square in Matanzas city
Necropolis de San Carlos Borromeo
Matanzas was founded on October 12, 1693, as San Carlos y San Severino de Matanzas. This followed a royal decree ("real cédula") issued on September 25, 1690, which decreed that the bay and port of Matanzas be settled by 30 families from the Canary Islands.
Matanzas was one of the regions that saw intensive development of sugar plantations during the colonial era. Consequently, many African slaves were imported to support the sugar industry, particularly during the first half of the nineteenth century. For example, in 1792 there were 1900 slaves in Matanzas, roughly 30% of its population. In 1817, the slave population of Matanzas had grown to 10,773, comprising nearly 50% of the overall population. By 1841, 53,331 slaves made up 62.7% of the population of Matanzas. Census figures for 1859 put the Matanzas slave population at 104,519. Matanzas was the site of several slave insurrections and plots, including the infamous Escalera conspiracy(es) (discovered in late 1843, see also Year of the Lash). Due to the high number of both slaves and, importantly, free Afro-Cubans in Matanzas, the retention of African traditions is especially strong there. In 1898, Matanzas became the location of the first action in the Spanish–American War. The city was bombarded by American Navy vessels on 25 April 1898, just after the beginning of the war.
Name origin[edit]
The name Matanzas means "massacre" and refers to a putative slaughter in 1510 at the port of the same name, in which 30 Spanish soldiers tried to cross one of the rivers to attack an aboriginal camp on the far shore. The Spanish soldiers had no boats, so they enlisted the help of native fishermen. However, once they reached the middle of the river, the fishermen flipped the boats, and due to the Spanish soldiers' heavy metal armor, most of them drowned. Only two women—one said to be the beautiful María de Estrada—survived, the result of being taken by a Cacique. De Estrada is said to have later escaped the "power of the Cacique" and married Pedro Sánchez Farfán in the city of Trinidad. According to municipal historian Arnaldo Jimenez de la Cal, "[i]t was the first act of rebellion of natives in Cuba."
