The city of Gibara, located on the north coast of the eastern Cuban province of Holguin, has a history of almost two centuries and is also known as the White Village.

Today's name comes from the aboriginal term Jibá, and has a rich history and its own culture, according to the lineage of its foundation, accompanied by a beautiful and lush landscape.

In its surroundings, the city offers visitors and locals the contrast of its architectural heritage with the environment, in addition to being one of the first points appreciated by Christopher Columbus when he spotted Cuban soil.

On January 16, 1817, under a solemn ceremony, the first stone of the fortifications was placed in Punta de Yarey, on the shores of the Bay, a date that has always been regarded as the founding date of the town.

The foundation of the port also favored its economic splendor, thus becoming the second walled city in Cuba, due to the construction of military fortifications to protect the village from attacks by corsairs and pirates.

In 1853, the Parochial Church of San Fulgencio was inaugurated, setting the a milestone in the prevailing architectural styles in Gibara so far.

For connoisseurs, its architecture combines the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, with one important exponents of each one.

Indeed, its historical center preserves more than 50 percent of the assets in good condition, for which in 2003 it was declared a National Monument.

The city has a central park, named "Calixto Garcia Iñiguez" and the former Arms Square of the town, which has a miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty in the middle, which was obtained through popular fundraising and was commissioned to Italian sculptors.

The sculpture is dedicated to the entry, on July 25, 1898, of the independence forces commanded by Colonel Cornelio Rojas, and symbolizing the liberation from Spanish rule.

Major sites in the city are the Mothers' Park and the Square of Culture, which are exponents of the architectural ensemble that distinguishes the town, as well as the Museum of Decorative Arts, on the top floor of one of the most significant neoclassical domestic constructions in the city.

The institution has one of the largest collections of its kind in the country and treasures the largest semicircular stained-glass window in eastern Cuba, in addition to the Parochial Church and the former venue of the Spanish Casino.

Only 40 kilometers from the city is Bariay, the spot where Columbus landed on October 27, 1492, and it became a symbol of the encounter between the cultures of the Old and New Worlds with a sculpture in a beautiful natural environment.

For beach lovers, Gibara complements with its attractions with the so-called Los Caletones and Los Bajos. The latter can be accessed by ferry.