Villa Clara is one of the provinces of Cuba located in the central region of the island bordering with the Atlantic at north, Matanzas Province by west, Sancti Spiritus by east, and Cienfuegos on the South.

Villa Clara shares with Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus on the south the Escambray Mountain Range.

Its main cities are Santa Clara (the capital), Sagua La Grande, Placetas, Camajuani, Remedios and Caibarién.

Santa Clara was the site of the last battle in the Cuban Revolution in late 1958. There were two guerrilla columns that attacked the city, one led by Ernesto Che Guevara and the other led by Camilo Cienfuegos.


Guevara's column first captured the garrison at Fomento. Then, using a bulldozer, Guevara's soldiers destroyed railroad tracks and derailed a train full of troops and supplies sent by Batista.

At the same time, Cienfuegos's column defeated an army garrison at the Battle of Yaguajay not far from town.

On December 31, 1958, the combined forces of Guevara and Cienfuegos (along with other revolutionaries under William Alexander Morgan) attacked Santa Clara. The battle was chaotic, the defenders were demoralized, some fought, others surrendered without a shot. By the afternoon, the city was captured.

This victory for Castro's troops is seen as the decisive moment in the Cuban Revolution as Batista fled Cuba less than 12 hours later.


Attractions

• Parque del Carmen (Carmen's Park)– City's Foundation Site.
• Parque de los Martires (Martyrs Park).
• Parque de la Pastora (Our Lady Shepherdess Park).
• Parque de la Justicia (Justice’s Park).
• Parque del Tren blindado (The Armored Train Park-Museum), a National Monument of Cuba.[4]
• Mausoleo Che Guevara (Monument and Mausoleum of Ernesto "Che" Guevara).
• Catedral de Santa Clara de Asis (Saint Claire of Asis Cathedral).
• Boulevard 1889.
• Centro Cultural El Mejunje (Cultural Centre "El Mejunje").
• Loma del Capiro, hill overlooking the city
• University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas is the province's secondary education institution.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/