Valle de Viñales
| Valle de Viñales | |
|---|---|
UNESCO world heritage 
|
|
|
|
| National territory: |
 Cuba
|
| Type: | Culture |
| Criteria : | iv |
| Surface: | 13,200 ha |
| Reference No .: | 840rev |
| UNESCO region : | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| History of enrollment | |
| Enrollment: | 1999 (session 23) |
The Valle de Viñales ("Viñales Valley") is located in the province of Pinar del Río , the westernmost province of Cuba . It is located about 30 km north of the provincial capital Pinar del Río . The valley, which is about 10 km long and 4 km wide, is considered to be one of the most beautiful landscapes in Cuba. It is located in the Sierra de los Órganos ("Organ Pipe Mountains"). With its surrounding mountains, it is a national park, which was awarded the title “Cultural Landscape of Mankind” by UNESCO in 1999 . Viñales is located in the center of the valley .
geology
The rock of the area in which the valley lies belongs to the geologically oldest part of Cuba. It originated around 170 million years ago. The limestone cliffs, to which the region owes its fascination, were created by lime dissolution ( erosion ); one speaks of karstification . Subterranean running waters dug into softer intermediate layers within the hard limestone; Depending on certain karst hydrological and geological conditions, numerous smaller and larger cave systems were formed. By collapsing the cave ceiling and further erosion of visible today, was characteristic cone karst (cone rock), the Mogotes ( mogotes ). These reach a height difference of up to 400 m.
Flora and fauna
Due to the extremely porous subsoil, there is a unique vegetation on the steep walls of the mogotes that has adapted to the rapidly seeping rainwater. There are a total of 20 species that can only be found in the Viñales Valley. A particularly interesting plant in the valley is the Cuban cycad ( Microcycas calocoma ); he is like his relatives in the cycads (Cycadophyta) is a living fossil that since the carbon has changed little more. There is a rat-like rodent, the Jutia, as a special species . There are also 64 different bird species in the Viñales Valley Nature Reserve.
economy
The most important product of the Viñales Valley is tobacco . Coffee and yuca are also grown; but they are insignificant compared to tobacco. Tourism is playing an increasingly important role. Nevertheless, the region only has a weak tourist infrastructure. Viñales, the most visited place in the province of Pinar del Río, has only a limited number of accommodation options or restaurants.
Attractions
The main attractions of the valley are the landscape with its mogotes , the caves, z. B. Cueva del Indio , the Cueva de San Miguel and the Caverna de Santo Tomás as well as the place Viñales . Another attraction is the Mural de la Prehistoria , a work of art created in 1961 by the Mexican artist Leovigildo González Morillo on a limestone rock, 120 meters high and 180 meters wide, the color of which needs to be refreshed regularly due to the frequent and heavy rains.
Web links
- UNESCO Information for Viñales (English)
Cultural heritage: Old town and fortifications of Havana (1982) | Trinidad and the Valle de los Ingenios (1988) | Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca (1997) | Valle de Viñales Cultural Landscape (1999) | Archaeological landscape of the first coffee plantations in southeastern Cuba (2000) | Historic city center of Cienfuegos (2005) | Historic center of Camagüey (2008)
Natural heritage: Desembarco del Granma National Park (1999) | Alexander von Humboldt National Park (2001)
Coordinates: 22 ° 36 ′ 50 ″ N , 83 ° 44 ′ 5 ″ W.