Pico Turquino

Pico Turquino is Cuba's highest mountain, located in the country's southernmost region. The Sierra Maestra Mountain Range encompasses it. The name Pico Turquino comes from the turquoise tint of the heights in some vistas. Turquino National Park, which is a protected area in Cuba, surrounds the peak.

Pico Turquino and the Sierra Maestra Mountain Range are significant to Cuba's guerrilla conflict history. On the peak of Pico Turquino, a bust of Jose Marti, a Cuban national hero, is erected to commemorate his contributions to the country. Minerals such as copper, iron, and chromium abound on the mountain.

During Fidel Castro's insurrection in 1957, he and his forces reached the summit. The peak had "near magical significance" to the revolutionaries, according to Che Guevara, Castro's second-in-command, because it was Cuba's highest point.

Turquino National Park encompasses a 229.38-square-kilometer (88.56-square-mile) region surrounding the mountain.

Location: Cuba
Parent range: Sierra Maestra
Elevation: 1,974 m (6,476 ft)