Parque Martí Formerly called Plaza de Armas, this large square has been declared a national monument because of the surrounding buildings and its historic importance. It was here that the ceremony of the foundation of the city took place in the shade of a hibiscus tree, chosen afterwards as a marker for laying out the city’s first 25 blocks. The zero kilometer, the central point of Cienfuegos, is in the middle of the park. Lions on a marble pedestal flank a monument to José Martí, Cuban National Hero, erected in 1906. On Bouyón Street stands the only triumphal arch in Cuba. The Palacio del Ayuntamiento entirely occupies one side of the park. It now houses the provincial government assembly.

Teatro Tomás Terry This Italian-style theater was the last will of Tomás Terry Adams, a slave trader and sugar factory owner who also became mayor. Declared a national monument, it has witnessed the performances of world famous figures like Sarah Bernhardt in the early 1900s. Its austere façade fronts the Central Park, and has 5 arches corresponding to the entrances of the theater. A huge fresco and ceramic masks on the pediment are also significant elements in the theater.

Catedral de la Purísima Concepción One of the major buildings of the central square, the cathedral of Cienfuegos was finished in 1869. Its Neo-Classical façade with two bell towers of different height and stained-glass windows imported from France depicting the twelve Apostles are some its distinguishing features.