Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean

Portal of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean

Cuba - Macizo Montañoso Sagua Baracoa (Sagua Baracoa mountain range)

The region is characterized by a rugged and practically inaccessible geography. However, there are abundant means of subsistence, and it was an ideal place for fugitive slaves escaping from the coffee plantations from the surrounding area and the sugar mills of the valley of Guantánamo, who settled there.

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Parts of the region are within the Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, which was declared World Heritage Natural Site (2001) and National Monument (2012).

Difficult access
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Sagua Baracoa mountain range. View of mountain range. Photo: Nilson Acosta
Sagua Baracoa mountain range. Coconut and banana plantations abound in the area . Photo: Nilson Acosta
Sagua Baracoa mountain range. La Farola road crossing the mountain range. Photo: Nilson Acosta
Sagua Baracoa mountain range. Hard-to-reach massif became an ideal hideout for runaway slaves. Photo: Nilson Acosta

Other data of interest

Cuba

Historical name

Macizo Montañoso Sagua Baracoa

Address

Provincias de Guantánamo y Holguín (Guantánamo and Holguín provinces)

Responsible entity

Provincial department of CITMA (Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment), Forestry Resources enterprise and Municipal Governments

Management plan

Classification

Site

Category

Inscribed on the World Heritage List

Function-Testimony

Refuge of runaway slaves

Access level

Restricted

Current Use

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, forests and coffee plantations

Original use

Virgin forest

Property kind

Mixed

Expressions of intangible heritage associated

Expressions of Palo Monte may be found in the communities residing in this intricate geography