Havana

Havana (pop. 2,204,300), founded in 1519, is situated at the mouth of a deep bay; this natural harbor was the assembly point for ships of the annual silver convoy to Spain. Its strategic and commercial importance is reflected in the extensive fortifications, particularly on the east side of the entrance to the bay.  Of all the capital cities in the Caribbean, Havana has the reputation of being the most splendid and sumptuous. Before the Revolution, its casinos and nightlife attracted the mega stars of the day in much the same way as Beirut and Shanghai and, remarkably, little has changed architecturally since then. There have been no tawdry modernizations, partly because of lack of finance and materials. Low level street lighting, relatively few cars (and many of those antiques), no (real) estate agents or McDonald's, no neon, no advertising (except for political slogans), all give the city plenty of scope for nostalgia. It is probably the finest example of a Spanish colonial city in the Americas. Many of its palaces were converted into museums after the Revolution and more work has been done since the old city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, with millions of dollars of foreign aid and investment. Away from the old city, there is also some stunning modern architecture from the first half of the 20th century.

Orientation -- Havana

The centre is divided into five sections, three of which are of most interest to visitors, Habana Vieja (Old Havana), Central Havana and Vedado. The oldest part of the city, around the Plaza de Armas, is quite near the docks.  It is here you will find the former Palace of the Captains General, the temple of El Templete, and Castillo de La Real Fuerza, the oldest of all the forts. From Plaza de Armas run two narrow and picturesque streets, Calles Obispo and O'Reilly (several old-fashioned pharmacies on Obispo, traditional glass and ceramic medicine jars and decorative perfume bottles on display in shops gleaming with polished wood and mirrors). These two streets go west to the heart of the city: Parque Central, with its laurels, poincianas, almonds, palms, shrubs and gorgeous flowers. To the southwest rises the golden dome of the Capitol. From the northwest corner of Parque Central a wide, tree-shaded avenue, the Paseo del Prado, runs to the fortress of La Punta; at its north sea-side end is the Malecón, a splendid highway along the coast to the west residential district of Vedado. The sea crashing along the seawall here is a spectacular sight when the wind blows from the north. On calmer days, fishermen lean over the parapet, lovers sit in the shade of the small pillars, and joggers sweat along the pavement. On the other side of the six-lane road, buildings which from a distance look stout and grand, with arcaded pavements, balconies, moldings and large entrances, are salt-eroded, and sadly decrepit inside. Restoration is progressing slowly, however, the sea is destroying old and new alike and creating a mammoth renovation task.

Further west, Calle San Lázaro leads directly from the monument to General Antonio Maceo on the Malecón to the magnificent central stairway of Havana University. A monument to Julio Antonio Mella, founder of the Cuban Communist Party, stands across from the stairway.

Further out, past El Prìncipe castle, is Plaza de la Revolución, with the impressive monument to José Martí at its centre. USD$3, or USD$5 including lookout tower with great views, very interesting, Spanish text only. The large buildings surrounding the square were mostly built in the 1950s, and house the principal government ministries. The long grey building behind the monument is the former Justice Ministry (1958), now the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, where Fidel Castro has his office. The Plaza is the scene of massive parades (e.g. May Day) and speeches marking important events. It was completely transformed for an open air mass held by the Pope in January 1998, with massive religious paintings over the surrounding buildings.

Near the fortress of La Punta a tunnel runs east under the mouth of the harbor and emerges in the rocky ground between the Castillo del Morro and the fort of La Cabaña, some 550 m away, and a 5 km highway connects with the Havana-Matanzas road.