Source: Photograph (2010) by WTL© in Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Comments: This image depicts the south side of the city's central plaza, with the municipal building featured. The building's façade is an example of Neoclassical architectural style. In fact, with over 300 extant buildings constructed in the 19th century, Cienfuegos historical center contains the most Neoclassical buildings in the entire Caribbean region. Why so many buildings in this style, which is essentially an 18th-century humanities phenomenon? In terms of a huge generalization, one can say that, ruled by Spanish Bourbon monarchs throughout the 19th century, until independence in 1898, Cuba's official culture was centralized, planned, and conservative, featuring the dominance by the main part of the intelligentsia dedicated to preserving the grandeur of the past. At the same time, of course, new cultural developments such as Romanticism, were being explored by others who were rebelling against the Spanish Ancien Régime. One notable example is José María Heredia.
Humanities comparison topic: Compare and contrast this building with a building featured in this online textbook from the old city of Havana.