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46-501: The municipality extends over 1,023.8 km (395.3 sq mi), and contains the communities of Antonio Maceo, Bravo, Castillo Duany, Daiquirí , El Caney , El Cobre , El Cristo, Guilera, Leyte Vidal, Moncada and Siboney . Historically Santiago de Cuba was the second-most important city on the island after Havana, and remains the second-largest. It is on a bay connected to the Caribbean Sea and an important sea port . In

92-448: A 15-year sentence. A copy of the speech was smuggled page by page out of prison (Presidio Modelo). A friend from the 26 July attack, Haydée Santamaría later published it. Two years later, in 1955, the mothers of some prisoners launched a campaign to free Castro and the other rebels imprisoned with him. As popular support for the rebels and opposition to Batista's rule mounted, a group of political leaders, editors, and intellectuals signed

138-541: A 26-year-old military hospital orderly in Jaimanitas. Fernandez agreed and received $ 200 to purchase surplus uniforms, weapons, and ammunition. He then pilfered from the military hospital laundry most of the blue uniforms needed to attire the rebels. The night before the attack, the men gathered at a farm in Siboney , where they learned what the objective was. The plan was to secure the barracks and gain possession of

184-493: A lack of weapons. In Castro's autobiography, he claims that he drove his car into a group of soldiers at the gate who had realized an attack was in progress. The men in the cars behind him jumped out of their cars, believing they were inside the barracks, and the alarm was sounded before the barracks had been infiltrated. According to Castro, this was the fatal mistake in the operation. Fifteen soldiers and three policemen were killed and 23 soldiers and five policemen wounded during

230-562: A malfunctioning .45 caliber submachine gun, 24 rifles of different caliber, including eight Model 1898 Krag–Jørgensen rifles , a .30-06 Model 1903 Springfield rifle , three sawed-off 1892 .44-caliber Winchester rifles , and a .30 caliber M1 Garand rifle with a folding metal stock. Fidel Castro decided that army uniforms were needed for the Moncada attack. He discussed this with Calabazar cell leader Pedro Trigo Lopez ( es ) , who suggested approaching his relative Florentino Fernandez Leon,

276-525: A public appeal demanding liberty for the prisoners. That year, the Cuban Congress passed a bill granting general amnesty to political prisoners. After the bill was signed by Batista, the 30 imprisoned rebels were freed. They served 22 months in prison. The battle damage to the Moncada barracks was quickly repaired by the military. After the revolution, it was converted into a school on January 28, 1960. Three weeks earlier, Fidel Castro personally drove

322-577: A small group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro . That day a simultaneous attack was carried out on the Carlos M. de Cespedes Barracks in Bayamo directed by Raúl Martínez Ararás by order of Castro. The attack failed and the surviving revolutionaries were imprisoned. This armed attack is widely accepted as the beginning of the Cuban Revolution . The date on which the attack took place, 26 July,

368-662: Is completed. The main tertiary education institution is the University of Santiago de Cuba ( Universidad de Oriente – Santiago de Cuba , UO). Santiago de Cuba is twinned with: Daiquir%C3%AD Daiquirí ( Spanish pronunciation: [dajkiˈɾi] ) is a small village, 14 miles east of Santiago de Cuba . It became a focal point of the United States invasion of Cuba in the Spanish–American War . Spanish General Arsenio Linares y Pombo ordered

414-671: Is named in his honor. The mural relief portrait on the building façade depicts Juan Almeida Bosque , a commander of insurgent forces in the Cuban Revolution. It is the birthplace of the world-famous Bacardi brand, which was started by Facundo Bacardi Masso in 1862. It now houses a museum that displays the extensive art collection of the Bacardí family. Santiago de Cuba is well known for its cultural life. Some of Cuba's most famous musicians, including Compay Segundo , Ibrahim Ferrer and Eliades Ochoa (all of whom participated in

460-515: Is the most populated municipality of Cuba. The city has developed at the foot of the bay and is surrounded on land by the Sierra Maestra . It has a hot and humid climate. The landscapes includes the complexity of urban elements, and natural greenery and marine settings, all at the same time. It has an irregular offset to the bay, which contributed to the development of an urban setting where the avenues and streets are steep or descend. Under

506-515: The Batista government. The men left the farm at 4:45 am on 26 July 1953, planning to attack at dawn. The date of the attack was specifically chosen because the fiestas in Santiago are held on 25 July. On 26 July 1953, at 5:15 am, Fidel Castro led a group of 136 rebels (with an additional 24 intending to take the barracks at Bayamo ), including his brother Raúl , in an attack on

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552-490: The Köppen climate classification , Santiago de Cuba has a tropical savanna climate with no significant wet and dry periods through the year. In the 2012 population census the city of Santiago de Cuba recorded a population of 431,272 people. Santiago is served by Antonio Maceo Airport . Cubana de Aviación connects the city with Havana , Port Au Prince , and Santo Domingo , with other airlines connecting to other cities in

598-479: The Moncada Barracks by a small contingent of rebels led by Fidel Castro . Shortly after this disastrous incident, País began talking with students and young working people informally, drawing around him what became an extremely effective urban revolutionary alliance. He and his followers developed highly organized cells, coordinating a large-scale urban resistance that became instrumental in the success of

644-483: The 2022, the city of Santiago de Cuba recorded a population of 507,167 people. Santiago de Cuba was the seventh village founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar on 25 July 1515. The settlement was destroyed by fire in 1516, and was immediately rebuilt. This was the starting point of the expeditions led by Juan de Grijalba and Hernán Cortés to the coasts of Mexico in 1518, and in 1538 by Hernando de Soto 's expedition to Florida. The first cathedral

690-413: The 300 or so Spanish troops there. Some 16,000 U.S. soldiers waded ashore in the surf as the diversion at Cabañas proved highly effective. Other troops landed at Siboney, but Daiquirí continued as a storage area until U.S. forces took Santiago. The alcoholic cocktail, the daiquiri , was supposedly named for the area. There is an iron mine near Daiquirí, which is a word of Taíno origin. The cocktail

736-493: The Audiencia Building (Palacio de Justicia), and a third group of 90 men, led by Castro, would take the barracks, including the radio transmitter within it. The attack began poorly. The caravan of automobiles became separated by the time it arrived at the barracks, and the car carrying the guerillas' heavy weapons got lost. Furthermore, many of the rebels who would have taken part in the attack were left behind for

782-610: The Caribbean and North America. The public transport in the city, as in Havana, is carried out by two divisions, Omnibus Metropolitanos (OM) and Metrobus. The Metrobus serves the inner-city urban area, with a maximum distance of 20 km (12 mi). Omnibus Metropolitanos (OM) connects the adjacent towns and municipalities in the metropolitan area with the city center, with a maximum distance of 40 km (25 mi). Ferrocarriles de Cuba railways and ASTRO inter-city buses connect

828-486: The Cuban Revolution. País' group prepared carefully, accruing weapons, collecting money and medical supplies. They published a cheap newsletter that reported news critical of the government, attempting to counter Batista's censorship of the mainline press. In the summer of 1955, País's organization merged with Castro's 26 July Movement. País became the leader of the new organization in Oriente province . Two years later he

874-608: The area from Daiquirí to Siboney fortified in anticipation of U.S. disembarkments there. On June 20, 1898, U.S. Navy Admiral William T. Sampson , U.S. Army General William Rufus Shafter and Cuban General Calixto García planned an invasion whereby the navy would shell Daiquirí, García's Cuban troops would attack the Spaniards, and, in the meantime, U.S. ships would transport some Cuban troops to Cabañas to cut off communications and supply. The landing two days later went almost according to plan. Sampson fired on Daiquirí, dispersing

920-403: The attack at the last moment, got three-year sentences. Dr. Melba Hernandez Rodriguez del Rey and Haydée Santamaría were given seven-month sentences since it was never proven that they handled weapons. Castro, a qualified lawyer, used his time in prison to write a speech entitled " History Will Absolve Me ", which included part of his defense statement delivered during his sentencing; he received

966-670: The attack on the Moncada Barracks and the Bayamo Barracks) Eighteen rebels captured in the Civil Hospital were immediately executed in the Moncada small-arms target range within two hours after the attack. Their corpses were strewn throughout the garrison to simulate death in combat. Thirty-four fleeing rebels captured during the next three days were murdered after admitting their participation. A handful of rebels, including Fidel Castro, escaped into

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1012-528: The attack to the Moncada Barracks. Nine rebels were killed in combat, 11 wounded, four of them by friendly fire, and 42 executed later. In the attack on Carlos M. de Cespedes Barracks, one soldier died and two were wounded. Later the Cuban Army executed ten fugitive attackers. (According to Fidel Castro five were killed in the attack on the Moncada Barracks, and 56 were executed later by the Batista regime in

1058-441: The city preoccupied with the holiday, Castro chose 26 July to enter undetected into the city to assault the Moncada Barracks. During Carnival, traditional conga music is played in the streets on a traditional pentatonic trumpet, called the trompeta china . A relatively high number of residents of the city adhere to Afro-Cuban religions, most notably santería . The city hosts an important community of descendants of immigrants from

1104-574: The city with Havana's Central Railway Station and with most other main cities of Cuba. The main railway station , also known as "General Senén Casas", is an important hub of the national railways. Located in the city centre, near the harbour, it was completely rebuilt in 1997. The city of Santiago is also crossed by the Carretera Central highway and by the southern section of the A1 motorway , largely unbuilt, that will link it with Havana when it

1150-725: The city's eclectic cultural mix, already rich with Spanish and African culture. Some of the women and children were impressed into slavery again, although they had been free. In 1809, after Napoleon Bonaparte 's forces invaded Spain, French citizens were ordered out of Cuba. Most went to the United States, and thousands settled in New Orleans, with the freedmen increasing its African culture, as most had been born in Africa. The ethnic French whites and free people of color, generally with longer ties to French culture, added their flavor to

1196-579: The culture of the city as well. Near the end of the century, during the Spanish–American War , Santiago was the site of the major defeat of Spanish troops at San Juan Hill on 1 July 1898. After capturing the surrounding hills, United States General William Rufus Shafter laid siege to the city. Spain later surrendered to the United States after Admiral William T. Sampson destroyed the Spanish Atlantic fleet just outside Santiago's harbor on 3 July 1898. Cuba had declared independence from Spain but

1242-483: The drink when he ran out of gin while entertaining American guests, the drink evolved naturally due to the prevalence of lime and sugar, and rum. Moncada Barracks Government victory The Moncada Barracks were military barracks in Santiago de Cuba , Cuba named after General Guillermo Moncada , a hero of the Cuban War of Independence . On 26 July 1953, the barracks was the site of an armed attack by

1288-402: The early 19th century from what is now Haiti. Some aspects of the religious " vodún " heritage of the city can be traced back to this community. The city features several historic architectural styles, from Baroque to neoclassical . Many colonial buildings have huge windows and balconies, where people can enjoy views of the steep streets and wooded hills. Preserved historical treasures include

1334-488: The film Buena Vista Social Club ) and trova composer Ñico Saquito (Benito Antonio Fernández Ortiz) were born in the city or in one of the villages surrounding it. They have contributed to the typical, country-like music of the city. Santiago de Cuba is well known for its traditional music, most notably son , from which salsa has been derived. The city celebrates Carnival in July, although it typically precedes Lent. With

1380-669: The first Spanish dwelling in the Americas , the first cathedral in Cuba, Cobre mine , the first copper mine opened in the Americas; and the first Cuban museum. The local citadel of San Pedro de la Roca is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "the most complete, best-preserved example of Spanish-American military architecture , based on Italian and Renaissance design principles". The Baconao Park

1426-406: The group was limited to two Africans and 12 Cubans of partial African ancestry, partly because most biracial Cubans identified with Batista, who was of mixed blood. Only two of the group were women, Haydée Santamaría and Melba Hernández , both of whom went on to become politicians. After Batista's military coup on 10 March 1952, Fidel Castro and his group began to train young men to engage in

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1472-643: The murder of prisoners by the military. In consequence, Moncada chief Col. Alberto del Rio Chaviano, impeded Castro from returning to court by claiming that he could not attend due to illness. The tribunal then separated Castro from the proceedings and granted him a separate trial. Nineteen rebels were found not guilty based on lack of evidence and their false testimony. Confessed leaders Raúl Castro , Oscar Alcalde , Pedro Miret , and Ernesto Tizol received 13-year prison sentences. Twenty other rebels received 10-year sentences. Rebels Manuel Lorenzo, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Orlando Cortez Gallardo, who refused to participate in

1518-486: The nearby countryside but were apprehended shortly thereafter. The Santiago de Cuba Urgency Tribunal indicted 122 defendants in Case 37 of 1953 to stand trial for 26 July insurrection. Fifty-one of the 99 rebel survivors who were captured were remanded for trial. Six indicted rebels remained in hiding. The other 65 defendants implicated throughout the island were mostly political leaders and opposition activists not involved in

1564-683: The rebellion. Fifteen of them, including deposed President Carlos Prío Socarrás , Aureliano Sánchez Arango , José Pardo Llada , and Communist leader Blas Roca , were underground or in exile and never went to court. The trial in the Santiago de Cuba Palace of Justice began on 21 September 1953 and ended on 6 October 1953, after 11 sessions. The Cuban Civil Code of Justice, based on the Napoleonic Code practiced in Europe and Latin America, has

1610-473: The second largest military garrison; commanded by Colonel Alberto del Rio Chaviano . The group formed a 16-automobile caravan in order to give the appearance of being a delegation headed by a high-ranking officer sent from western Cuba. Their plan was that a first group of 25 men led by Abel Santamaría would take the civilian hospital at the rear of the barracks, a second group of 6 men led by Lester Rodriguez, including Raúl Castro (Fidel's brother), would take

1656-488: The struggle, along with other anti-Batista groups, against an illegitimate government. Castro claimed that they trained 1,200 men within a few months, training at the University of Havana and at firing ranges in Havana , disguising themselves as businessmen interested in hunting and clay pigeon shooting. The weapons included 40 12- and 16-gauge shotguns, 35 Mosberg and Remington .22 rifles , 60 handguns of various models,

1702-531: The summer of 1803 during the last days of the Haitian slave revolt, which had started in 1791 . Other refugees had emigrated from Saint-Domingue earlier in the revolution. Haiti declared its independence as a republic in 1804. The French were withdrawing surviving troops after suffering heavy losses from warfare and yellow fever . The immigrants, who included freedmen as France had abolished slavery on Saint-Domingue, struggled to maintain their freedom in Cuba, which

1748-463: The verdict determined by a panel of three judges rather than by a jury of peers as under "common law" in the U.S. and Great Britain. In accordance, after the accused heard the charges against them, they were called to testify on their own behalf. The defendants were represented by 24 attorneys. Fidel Castro assumed his own defense and lied under oath to avoid implicating rebels on trial. During the questioning of rebel witnesses, Castro raised accusations of

1794-428: The weapons stored within, and to use the building's army communications equipment to spread false messages for several hours to confuse the military. In the meantime, the weapons would be removed and hidden throughout the city to use in the continuing struggle, and Santiago's radio station would be taken to broadcast the speeches of Eduardo Chibás , in order to mobilize the public with the ultimate aim of bringing down

1840-555: Was adopted by Castro as the name for his revolutionary movement, Movimiento 26 Julio (abbreviated as M-26-7), which eventually toppled the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista on 1 January 1959. Almost all of Fidel Castro's followers were Partido Ortodoxo Youth rank and file of the lower middle class and working class. Of the 137 insurgents whose ages are known, the average age was 26, the same as that of Castro. Nine rebels were in their teens, 96 were in their twenties, 27 in their thirties, and five over 40. The Afro-Cuban composition of

1886-491: Was betrayed to the police and was fatally shot after his capture. On 1 January 1959, Fidel Castro proclaimed the victory of the Cuban Revolution from a balcony on Santiago de Cuba's city hall. The ashes of País were interred in Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, where Marti had been buried. Santiago de Cuba was the hometown of poet José María Heredia . The Teatro Heredia, which hosts theater and cultural events,

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1932-649: Was built in the city in 1528. From 1522 until 1589, Santiago was the capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba. The city was plundered by French forces in 1553, and by English forces in 1603 . More than 50 years later the English raided again in 1662 under Christopher Myngs . The city had a huge influx of French and British immigrants in the late-18th and early-19th centuries. Some eighteen thousand Saint Dominican refugees, both ethnic French whites and free people of color, and African freedmen , came from Saint-Domingue in

1978-565: Was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve List in 1987. Santiago de Cuba is located in the southeast of the island at coordinates 20° 01' 17.42" N 75° 49' 45.75" W, some 870 km (540 mi) of the capital, Havana . Historically Santiago de Cuba has been the second-largest city in Cuba, behind Havana. It features a bay connected to the Caribbean Sea and is a major port . The municipality of Santiago de Cuba, its capital city,

2024-480: Was occupied by US troops for several years. Historians suggest they were there to ensure the sugar economy continued to be productive. José Martí , a Cuban poet, writer, and national hero, is buried in Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in this city. Santiago was the home of the 20th-century revolutionary hero Frank País . On 26 July 1953, the Cuban Revolution began with an ill-prepared armed attack on

2070-513: Was still a slave society. Cuba initially allowed only white refugees, women of color, children, and loyal "domestics" to land; French troops and all men of color over the age of thirteen were held off shore, to be rapidly deported to the mainland, as they were considered a revolutionary threat. Some French soldiers joined other refugees in Charleston, South Carolina , or New York City; others went to New Orleans . The refugees who stayed added to

2116-488: Was supposedly invented about 1900 in a bar named Venus in Santiago, about 23 miles east of the mine, by a group of American mining engineers. Among the engineers present were Jennings Cox , General Manager of the Spanish American Iron Co., J. Francis Linthicum, C. Manning Combs, George W. Pfeiffer, De Berneire Whitaker, C. Merritt Holmes, and Proctor O. Persing. Although stories persist that Cox invented

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