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Cárdenas, Cuba

Cárdenas
Municipality
Street in Cárdenas
Street in Cárdenas
Official seal of Cárdenas
Seal
Motto: Primus In Cuba
Cárdenas municipality (red) within  Matanzas Province (yellow) and Cuba
Cárdenas municipality (red) within
Matanzas Province (yellow) and Cuba
Cárdenas, Cuba is located in Cuba
Cárdenas, Cuba
Location of Cárdenas in Cuba
Coordinates: 23°02′34″N 81°12′13″W / 23.04278°N 81.20361°W / 23.04278; -81.20361Coordinates: 23°02′34″N 81°12′13″W / 23.04278°N 81.20361°W / 23.04278; -81.20361
Country  Cuba
Province Matanzas-MTZ
Founded 1828
Established 1859
Area
 • Total 577.88 km2 (223.12 sq mi)
Elevation 10 m (30 ft)
Population (2010)
 • Total 136,722
 • Density 236.6/km2 (613/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Cardenense
Time zone EST (UTC-6)
Postal code 42110
Area code(s) +53 45

Cárdenas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkaɾðenas]), Calle Calzada Cárdenas is a municipality and city in the Matanzas Province of Cuba, about 116 km (72 mi) by air [156 km (97 mi) by road] east of Havana. Cárdenas is the 15th most-populated Cuban city and the second most populated one not being a provincial seat, after Manzanillo.

Cárdenas is a maritime port town on the level and somewhat marshy shore of a spacious bay of the northern coast of the island (Bay of Cárdenas), sheltered by a long promontory (Hicacos peninsula, including the Varadero beach resort). The city lies between the sea and hills.

A large quantity of asphalt has been taken from the bed of the harbour. A flow of fresh water from the bed of the harbour is another peculiar feature; it presumably comes from the outlets of subterranean rivers.

There are mostly narrow streets, various squares (including the Plaza de Colón, with a bronze statue of Columbus given to the city by Queen Isabella II. and erected in 1862) and substantial and elegant business and public buildings, including the ornate parish church designed by Architect Rafael Carrerá, who also built the famous Palacio Aldama in Central Havana.

The city is divided into the barrios of Cantel, Fundición, Guásimas, Marina, Méndez Capote, Pueblo Nuevo and Versalles.

The world-famous beach resort of "Varadero" is part of the Municipality of Cárdenas.

Cárdenas was founded in 1828, with the help of several old aristocratic Spanish-Cuban families from the nearby provincial capital of Matanzas and in 1861 already had 12,910 inhabitants. The completion of the railroad in 1841 led to further development. Cárdenas was one of the first cities in Cuba to have electric service, public transportation (trams), telegraph and telephone.


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