CubaPLUS Magazine

From the landscape point of view, it is seen as a soft and green hill, crowned by a monument. However, it is a place full of meaning and values for inhabitants of the central city of Santa Clara -province of Villa Clara-, of which it is a neighbor. It is the smallest of the three elevations with which it forms as a whole, being 176.5 meters high, but it rises to the sky enough to become a magnificent natural viewpoint that allows to see the entire city, rich in history and culture.

The locals not only like the recreation it provides them. The Hill of Capiro is also a source of pride and its renown at the national level has a lot to do with the historical fact of the taking of the city of Santa Clara by the Rebel Army on December 29, 1958, in a glorious battle commanded by legendary Ernesto Che Guevara. That fact was decisive for the final triumph of the brave troops. forged by Fidel Castro in the mountains of the Sierra Maestra, when in the final offensive, he spread the fight throughout the country.

This beautiful hill was declared a National Monument in 1990, while the artistic complex erected in honor of the mythical battle for liberty was designed by the sculptor José de Lázaro (Delarra), installed on site in 1988. According to tradition, the name of Loma del Capiro arose as a result of a trip made by a city dweller to the Central American nation of Panama.

On the way to Portobelo, he found some hills called Monte Capiro, very similar to the Cuban enclave. It was Cristóbal de Moya, former owner of the land where the hill stands, came the nickname of the man who identified the site. It is a geological formation located in Cretaceous-Tertiary time (LKT). The other two nearby elevations have elevations of 185.9 m. and 188.4 m. above sea level, respectively, and are known as Two Sisters. Science has also been very interested in Loma del Capiro, because on its slopes there are vestiges of the meteorite of Chicxulub to which the mass extinction is attributed, millions of years ago, years of dinosaurs on Earth. The portentous tsunamis, earthquakes and storms generated by the terrible impact given to the area of current Yucatán, from what is seen. They also modeled the Antillean archipelago.

Loma del Capiro is not only a history, landscape or scientific research point, which is saying a lot for such a small place. For a long time, its surrounding lands have been suppliers of fruits, plants medicinal products, vegetables and other goods. It has a staircase that leads to the top and the climb is a very healthy exercise, which helps many to know if they are in shape. The Loma del Capiro Monument recreates the trenches from which the soldiers of the tyranny were evicted after losing the battle imposed by Fulgencio Batista and remembers the contrast between the power of the tyrant's forces and the lesser forces in resources of the patriots.

However, very correct decisions in the strategy of Che and the morale of the revolutionaries made possible the incredible and devastating triumph.