Loma del Capiro

Capiro Hill is a place worth considering both for its geographical location, as one the highest point around the city of Santa Clara, overlooking the entire city, and for its strategic importance in the Battle of Santa Clara, which played a critical role in the victory of the Revolution. Loma del Capiro is the symbol of the struggle between patriots with much less opportunity against the powerful oppressor, crowned with the victory of the patriots.

The hill was named after its former owner, Cristóbal de Moya, a native of Santa Clara. During a visit to Panama, Cristóbal noticed that Monte Capiro in Portolebo was very similar to the one he owned. Upon his return from the trip, he gave the same name to the hill in Santa Clara.

The site was declared a National Monument in 1990, along with the Armored Train.

GEOGRAPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Loma del Capiro is a geological formation located in Cretaceous-Tertiary time. It is a part of the Loma del Capiro Historic-Cultural Park which also includes the neighboring twin hills known as Dos Hermanas (Two Sisters). With its height of 176,5 meters, Capiro Hill is the smallest among the three elevations constituting a whole. The neighboring hills (Dos Hermanas) are 185,9 and 188,4 meters above the sea level.

Dos Hermanas is known in scientific circles due to the discovery of abundant evidence of the Chicxulub meteorite impacting Earth on its slopes. The Chicxulub impact refers to a massive meteor that struck the Yucatán Peninsula during the Cretaceous/Paleogene period and is believed to have played a significant role in the mass extinction of the dinosaurs millions of years ago by generating horrific mega tsunamis, earthquakes, and storms which modeled the Antillean archipelago. Cuba was particularly affected by the island's proximity and its elongated structure.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Capiro Hill was a strategic point that played a role in the victory over Batista's army in the Battle of Santa Clara. On December 28, 1958, forces under the command of Che Guevara (approximately 300 poorly armed guerrillas) launched a campaign to capture Santa Clara, defended by approximately 3,000 army personnel, and to prevent the passage of a train carrying weapons and ammunition to the east of the island. Batista’s troops, stationed in Santa Clara, were supported by the air force, an armored train, artillery, machine guns, and dozens of armored units. They also held all the city's high points and strategic positions. Given this disparity in military forces, Che Guevara adopted a different tactic, and made a plan to capture Capiro Hill, the highest point of the city, in the first stage and in the second stage to disable the armored train loaded with weapons, and then attack the city.

Thus, the first attack was launched against a group of soldiers from the armored train which were positioned in the trenches on the southern slope of the hill. A platoon under the command of Luis Alfonso Zayas and a part of the Suicide Platoon under the command of Lieutenant Hugo del Río advanced towards this area on the hill. However, they encountered intense mortar and heavy-caliber gunfire. They were also attacked from the air. The rebels fought all day on the first day of the attack (December 28, 1958) and managed to surrender the hill in the early morning hours of December 29.

After the capture of the Capiro Hill Che Guevara ordered several members of the Suicide Platoon to join the main group of rebels as they attacked toward the center of Santa Clara. He also ordered a small detachment under the command of Luis Alfonso Zayas to capture soldiers who had escaped or lost their way from the forces at Loma del Capiro.

The retreating soldiers made their way to the armored train, but shortly thereafter, the train was derailed by the rebels, and the railway was destroyed. After a brief clash, all soldiers in the area, including Colonel Casillas Lumpuy, surrendered, and the rebels advanced with all their might toward the city center of Santa Clara. It is said that Che led the attack from here in the period between the capture of the hill and the fall of Santa Clara (approximately 24 hours).

TOURISTIC SIGNIFICANCE

Capiro Hill is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, even except certain day of celebrations. It is a vantage point for the extraordinary beauty of the Santa Clara Valley and provides stunning panoramic views of the city.

The peak is reached by a winding, moderately steep, step-paved road. You have to climb approximately 200 steps to reach the peak.

At the peak stands the metallic Monument to the Battle of Santa Clara. It is the work of the sculptor José Delarra and erected in 1988. The monument, approximately 10 meters high, is a mixture of stainless steel and bronze. It consists of weapons of various calibers pointed at the sky, surrounded by a ring. A silhouette of Che Guevara is depicted on the ring. The monument rests on a green marble base. The sculpture represents the defense of the nation's skies and symbolizes the will to unite the Cuban nation. The peak is marked by two flags.

You can see the trenches around, dug by rebel forces surround the monument.

On the southern slope of the hill, there is a tamarind plantation that has been preserved and expanded for several decades. This is the symbolic tree of the city of Santa Clara and represents its founding. Every July 16th, a tamarind tree is planted there during a solemn ceremony.

The surrounding lands of the hill have long been a supplier of fruits, herbs, medicinal products, vegetables and other products.