HAVANA, CUBA
Havana, the capital of the Republic of
Cuba, has been a center of communications and trade for over four centuries. It
is the island's main port and cultural center and has a lot to offer in almost
any sphere
Founded on its present location in 1519, the settlement of San Cristóbal de La
Habana prospered mainly due to its bay, which was a natural port of call for
ships sailing to and from the New World.
Over eight and a half miles (14 kilometers) of excellent beaches lie to the east
of the Cuban capital, which is symbolized by the Giraldilla. To the south, a
green belt contributes to a healthful atmosphere. The city itself is a cultural
center with a solid infrastructure of hotels, and is prepared to host all kinds
of conferences and congresses.
Old Havana, which for centuries was inside the walled part of the city,
was founded in late 1519 at the port Carenas. Its primary nucleus consists of
buildings that were erected around a series of public squares and tiny areas
adjoining monasteries and old churches.
Walking on the streets of Old Havana, many of them still cobbled, also
represents the opportunity of getting acquainted with more than a dozen museums
and studio-galleries of famous Cuban and Latin American fine artists; and
visiting the houses of Benito Juárez, Asia, Africa, Puerto Rico, Arabs (with the
only hall for Muslim prayers in Cuba), and Simón Bolívar.
A constant victim of attacks by pirates,
corsairs and enemies of the Spanish Crown, the village of San Cristóbal de La
Habana had to be fortified with a powerful defense system, some of whose major
fortresses, such as the Castle of the Royal Force, the Tres Reyes del Morro
Castle and the Fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña still preserve their original
elegance. UNESCO declared Old Havana and its System of Colonial Fortifications
Humankind's Cultural Heritage in 1982.
The magnitude of the restoration works
that have been done there since the 1970s makes it advisable for travelers to
follow routes so as not to miss any of its attractions. Above all, do not miss
the 9 o'clock cannon shot, with its colonial-style ceremony.
Havana's historic center covers
approximately 142 hectares and contains around 3,500 buildings, one seventh of
which are of great value. The restoration of this valuable historic and cultural
heritage began in 1976. Two years later, Old Havana was declared a national
monument.
