Baracoa ("land of waters" in aboriginal) is located over six hundred miles (a thousand kilometers) east of Havana on the north-eastern coast of Guantanamo Province. As its nickname suggests, this area receives heavy rainfall and consequently has lush vegetation, a rich river system and an abundance of coconut trees. The natural landmark of Baracoa though is Yunque (Anvil) Mountain, a mountain that rises to 1765 feet above sea level and can be seen for many miles out to sea (the mountain is also famous for its very individual shape).
HISTORYEstablished in 1512, Baracoa was the first Spanish settlement in Cuba. In the Eighteenth Century the fortifications to the city were modified and updated, and these still function today: Matachin Fort is now the Municpal Museum of Baracoa; Punta Fort; and Sanguily Fort (which, today, is the El Castillo Hotel).
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