Before Columbus, the Taino people settled in huts made from royal palm in the Holguin area later urbanized by the Spanish; their artefacts shown at the local Holguin La Periquera museum. The settlement was founded in 1523 on land donated by Diego de Velázquez to Captain Francisco García Holguín, a Spanish military officer. Holguin added his maternal surname to the name of the town, giving it the nameSan Isidoro de Holguín. Prior to 1976, Holguín was located in the province of Oriente. Before Pope Francis's visit to the United States, in September 2015, he visited Cuba, and one of his stops was at the Diocese of Holguín to, among other things, commemorate the location where Christopher Columbus landed.
Geography
The municipality is divided into repartos or barrios. The old municipality was more extense, and in 1940 included: Aguarás, Aguas Claras, Alcalá, Arroyo Blanco del Sur, Báguanos, Cabezuelas, Cacocum, Calderón, Camazán, Cauto del Cristo, Corralillo, Cruces de Purnio, Damián, Floro Pérez, Gibara, Guabasiabo, Guayabal, Guirabo, Haticos del Purial, La Aguada, La Cuaba, La Palma, La Rioja, Las Calabazas, Managuaco, Melones, Norte, Omaja, Purnio, San Agustín, San Andrés, San Francisco, San Juan, San Lorenzo, Santa Rita, Sur, Tacámara, Tasajeras, Uñas, Uñitas, Velasco, Yareyal and Yayal. At present time, some of the above are part of other municipalities, but the following still belong to Holguín: Aguas Claras, Guirabo, La Cuaba, Las Calabazas, Purnio, San Andrés, Yareyal.
Economy
The brewery ' is based in the city. It makes three brands of beer sold in convertible pesos. There are two small hotels focusing on health tourism in the outskirts of the city, very close to the airport: ' and . Patients like Argentine football star Diego Maradona have been treated there for substance addiction. There are also two established city hotels. More recently, a few small hotels, managed by Hoteles E, have opened. As of May, 2020, and after a major restoration, there's a third boutique hotel about to be inaugurated.
Demographics
In 2004, the municipality of Holguín had a population of 326,740. With a total area of, it had a population density of. By 2012, the population had increased slightly to 346,195 for a population density of.
Infrastructure
There are several small city parks such as ', ', ', ', among others, most central the in the downtown area. Close by one finds the galleriesCentro Provincial de Arte and Bayado, a library, the club Casa de la Trova, the Martí cinema, the Theatre Eddy Suñol, the , a science museum, and a history museum. One of the most famous landmarks of the city is the Loma de la Cruz, which can be ascended by climbing its +450 stairs, and from where the whole city can be admired. There, in the early years of the city, a large cross was erected with the belief that it would protect it from evil coming down from the North. Holguín has a baseball stadium, named after Calixto García.
Transportation
Holguín is served by Frank País Airport, located at 20°47´08"N, 076°18´54"W, with flights to Havana and several other world destinations, mostly in Canada and Europe.
Education
The main post-secondary education institution is the University of Holguín "Oscar Lucero Moya". Other post-secondary educational centers are: "Mariana Grajales", "José de la Luz y Caballero", and "Manuel Piti Fajardo".
