The Escambray Mountains (Spanish: Sierra del Escambray) are a mountain range in the central region of Cuba, in the provinces of Sancti Spíritus, Cienfuegos and Villa Clara.

Quick Facts Highest point, Peak ...
Escambray
Thumb
South side of Escambray in Sancti Spíritus Province with Valley of the sugar mills at the front.
Highest point
PeakPico San Juan
Elevation1,140 m (3,740 ft)
[citation needed]
Coordinates21°59′25.08″N 80°8′50.28″W
Geography
Thumb
Escambray
Escambray
Location of Escambray Mountains in Cuba
CountryCuba
Provinces
Range coordinates21°59′05″N 80°07′57″W
Close

Overview

The Escambray Mountains are located in the south-central region of the island, extending about 80 kilometers (50 mi) from east to west, and 80 kilometers (50 mi) from north to south.[1] Their highest peak, Pico San Juan, rises to 960 m (3,150 ft)[citation needed] above sea level. The Escambray range is divided into two sections by the Agabama River. The western part is called the Guamuhaya Mountains, and the eastern part, raising between Trinidad and Sancti Spiritus, is best known as Sierra de Sancti Spíritus. After Pico San Juan, the highest points are Caballete de Casas, Gavilanes, Loma de Banao, Caja de Agua, and Pico Tuerto.

Topes de Collantes is a nature reserve park established in the south-eastern ranges of Escambray Mountains, protecting and showcasing caves, rivers, waterfalls, and canyons. The Valley de los Ingenios is developed at the south-eastern foot of the mountains, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The mountains were the theater of the Escambray Rebellion in 1959–1965. It was also a planned refuge during the Bay of Pigs Invasion; however, it was never used as such.

See also

References

Wikiwand in your browser!

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.

Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.