Cuba: Che Guevara Memorial and Santa Clara city

Che Guevara Memorial and Santa Clara city

Situated in the heart of Cuba, Santa Clara is a vibrant city steeped in history as a result of its involvement in the battles which took place during the Cuban Revolution. Che Guevara is especially venerated here, the site of his Mausoleum.

In 1967 Guevara and a couple of dozen of his Cuban comrades were killed while fighting for revolution in Bolivia and buried in situ in an unmarked grave. Following the discovery of their remains they were flown to Cuba in 1997 and ceremoniously re-interred here in a grandiose monument overseen by a bronze statue of Che. A stay in Santa Clara would not be complete without a visit both to the Mausoleum where photographs and sculptures narrate his life story and especially his military campaigns.

You can also visit the military train - laden with soldiers and weapons intended for the struggle against Fidel Castro’s rebels - which was derailed by Che and his comrades during the Cuban revolution.

On a tour around town, don’t miss the main square, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Caridad Theatre.