History of Cienfuegos
The French colonists founded the city in 1819 and named it after their King Ferdinand. Fernandina de Jagua was the original name signifying honor to the aboriginal roots of the place. The bay area of the city had a fort constructed to ward off the pirate attacks much before the French settlers’ arrival. The remanants of the fort Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles de Jagua can still be seen in the bay canyon.
The region is also the most fertile in whole of Cuba and thus attracted settlers from far and wide.