San Felipe and Santiago del Bejucal, or simply Bejucal, is a town and municipality in the current province of Mayabeque.
It is located to the northwest of that province, with the following limits: to the North, with the municipalities Boyeros and Arroyo Naranjo, of Havana.
To the South, with the municipalities of Quivicán, San José de las Lajas. To the east and west, with the municipality of San Antonio de los Baños. Until 2010 it belonged to the province of Havana in Cuba.
The town was founded by Captain Juan Núñez de Castilla, a native of Granada, Spain, who requested the King in a letter dated July 5, 1710 to found the stately city.
For this purpose, Núñez de Castilla had purchased the San Juan del Bejucal corral from Francisca de la Puerta in 1710 and immediately began the division according to the plan drawn up for the city by the lieutenant and engineer Pedro Menéndez Márquez.
Thus, San Felipe and Santiago del Bejucal was founded on April 29, 1713, but it has been determined that the day of its celebration is the May 9, 1714because that day its Town Council met for the first time and the first elections of Ordinary Mayors of Santa Hermandad and other officials were held, with the six councilors being appointed in advance by the Marquis of Santiago and San Felipe de Bejucal, as founder and main settler. , constituting one of the first in the surroundings of Havana.
In the heart of the Village is the legendary Parish Church, the oldest existing building in the City. The temple dates back to 1722 and features the Baroque style, characterized by large arches in its six interior columns.
In 1981 the Bejucal municipal museum was founded, the building was partially restored. That building was the headquarters of the Town Hall, prison and transit barracks for the Spanish troops.
In its origins it had two floors in 1846 as a result of the cyclone that occurred two years before, it was decided to remodel it and it remains a single floor. During the Mediatized Republic it was the headquarters of all the Mayor’s Offices, in the 60s it housed the local administration.
Since the founding of the city, Bejucal had its own shield. It was not until 1932 that the use of a new shield was established, taking into account the design of the original shield and adding elements of the national shield.
This proposal was presented by the Bejucal historian, Miguel Llompart. The current one has the red color of the field (it replaced the blue color of its origins) which means, according to heraldic rules, magnanimity, zeal, justice and beauty and also the enamel that corresponds to those who are obliged to promote agriculture without dedicating themselves personally to her.
The marquis crown, one of the most honorable pieces, corresponds to the dignity of the founder and lord of this city. It clearly explains the power and authority in which he was clothed.
The lions represent the courage and bravery with which the enemy has been attacked, carrying all the danger to defend the homeland.
The golden mural crown is the one that corresponds to Bejucal for his glorious feats of arms. The border above and laurel formed by one part of the civic crown and another with the triumphal crown of the Romans, which also ornaments the national shield, is placed as a symbol of the current republican state.
The red color of the ribbon represents war, daring, trickery, strength and victory with blood and above it, in silver, “Everything for Bejucal” can be seen as an invitation to sacrifice and interest for the good of the municipal community.
