Placetas

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Placetas
Coordinates: 22 ° 19 ′  N , 79 ° 39 ′  W
Map: Cuba
marker
Placetas​
Placetas on the map of Cuba
Basic data
Country Cuba
province Villa Clara
City foundation November 19, 1881
Residents 68,922  (2012)
Detailed data
surface 600.59
Population density 105.0 inhabitants / km 2
height 205  m
Waters Río Zaza
prefix 53-428
Time zone UTC -5
Website www.cenit.cult.cu/sites/placetas
Pioneers in the city center of Placetas
Pioneers in the city center of Placetas

Placetas is a Cuban city and municipality in the province of Villa Clara . It is also known as La Villa de los Laureles (The City of Laurels) due to the presence of laurel trees in different parts of the city. Placetas is located in the center of Cuba, near the city of Santa Clara . The city is an important railway junction and is located on the Carretera Central .

geography

Placetas lies in the relative geographic center of Cuba, with Santa Clara in the southwest. With its area of ​​600.59 km², the city ranks sixth among the 13 municipalities in the province. The soils in Placetas are made of volcanic sedimentary rocks . Several caves have been found near the city. The highest point in the area are the Güiros hills with a height of 457.2 m. The Río Zaza flows through the outskirts of the city.

climate

The climate includes the general characteristics of the tropical belt in the Cuban archipelago, but with local influences due to the distance to the coast and the altitude. Due to the height of about 200 meters, the relative humidity averages 78% in April and May. In October values ​​of 87% are reached. The average air temperature is 19.4 ° C. The bio-climate is quite dry, with 3 to 4 months of drought per year.

population

The municipality of Placetas represents 8.8% of the total population of the province and is its third largest municipality. 19.2% of the population is over 60 years old and 78.6% is of adult age. 50.1% of the population is male, 49.9% is female. 77% of the population of Placetas live in urban conditions.

With a population density of 118.6 inhabitants per km², Placetas is one of the most densely populated communities of Santa Clara, after Caibarién .

history

The first information about Placetas dates back to the late 17th century. In the area of ​​today's Placetas there was already a church at that time, which in 1804 became a place called Guaracabulla. In 1815 a cemetery was built, in 1842 there were already two inns and over 70 people lived there.

As a result of the Cuban War of Independence in 1868, the village of Guaracabulla was burned down and people moved to nearby Las Placetas , where there was also a fortress. In the decades that followed, the infrastructure grew and finally Placetas became a separate municipality in 1879, a small town in 1881 and a town in 1925.

In 1958, about 30,000 people lived in Placetas.

politics

Placetas is divided into 15 city councils:

  • Consejo Popular Pujol-Los Chinos
  • Consejo Popular Plazoleta-Las Minas
  • Consejo Popular Frigorífico Cumbre
  • Consejo Popular Vigía-Copey
  • Consejo Popular Miller
  • Consejo Popular Falcón
  • Consejo Popular Guaracabulla
  • Consejo Popular Báez
  • Consejo Popular Nazareno
  • Consejo Popular Benito Juarez
  • Consejo Popular Hermanos Ameijeiras
  • Consejo Popular Carbó Serviá
  • Consejo Popular Falero - Sabanilla
  • Consejo Popular Manzanares (Placetas)
  • Consejo Popular Suazo (Placetas)

economy

The Placeta economy is traditionally shaped by sugar production . Snuff is also produced in the city. There is a building materials factory in Placetas that makes tiles, blocks and clay. There is also a service sector consisting of laundries, hairdressers, barbers, photographers and cleaning staff.

There has also been a milk factory in Placetas since 1895, which today specializes in the production of milk and milk products such as yoghurt, muesli, ice cream, cheese and cream.

The Carilles welding system in Placetas has been in existence since the mid-1990s and is responsible for the maintenance of the rail network and also has facilities for ultrasonic inspection of fractures.

Infrastructure

education

The first school was founded in 1871 and was a private boys' school. In 1893, Placetas had two schools for boys and one for girls. The literacy campaign in Placetas was completed in 1961.

Today in Placetas there are televisions and computers in every classroom. The smallest schools in the rural area of ​​the city have their own solar cells for autonomous energy supply. Teaching about proper nutrition is just as much a part of the task of schools as providing free school meals.

All classrooms in the schools have space for up to 20 students and have small school libraries with dictionaries and reference works.

Culture

Newspapers have been published in Placetas since the end of the 19th century, and there has been a university for music since 1894. On May 20, 1937, the Mimí Fortún municipal library was opened. Carnival traditionally took place between February and April and is celebrated in July today, as is the case in Santiago de Cuba .

The municipal museum was opened on December 23, 1981 and is now located on 1ra del norte between Paseo Martí and 1ra del Oeste . In Placetas there is a culture house which, together with schools and other cultural centers, serves to promote music, visual arts and literature.

There are six public libraries in Placetas today:

  • City Library "Mimí Fortún"
  • Extension "Liberación" CAI Hnos Ameijeiras "(Granja)
  • Extension "Gerardo Abreu" (Fontán) Báez
  • Extension "Julio Pino Machado" Falcón
  • Extension "Jesús Suárez Gayol" CAI Benito Juárez
  • Extension "Carbó Serviá" (Granja)

Healthcare

In 1959 there were about 11 or 12 medical centers in Placetas. Today there is also a polyclinic and several pharmacies in the city.

sons and daughters of the town

Web links