Languages Plus - Havana, Cuba

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Havana city overview
Cuba was discovered by Christopher Columbus in his first trip (1492), but wasn’t until 1512 that the Spaniards took total possession of the island. When the American Spanish colonies conquered their independence, Cuba remained addict to the metropolis. In 1895 a formidable insurrection took place, that lasted until 1899, year in which the United States took part and forced Spain to resign its sovereignty on Cuba. But they did not obtain its immediate independence and was years under the trusteeship of the United States.

In 1902 the first chosen president was Estrada Palma. In 1906, the civil war exploded. Estrada Palma resigned and the United States assumed the government of the island until 1909 in which, with the situation already controlled, the new president Jose Miguel Gómez began to exert his functions. Several years of internal fights and revolts followed one another until 1940, in which colonel Fulgencio Batista was chosen president, lasting in the power until 1944, when is elected Ramon Graú San Martín.

In 1948 it assumes the presidency, by elections, Carlos Prío Socarrás, dismissed in 1952 by another coup d'etat carried out by Batista, that remains in the power until 1959, when it is overthrown by the communist revolution of Fidel Castro, who became head of government, naming Osvaldo Dorticós president of the Republic.

The new regime motivated the opposition of the United States and other American countries, that excluded Cuba of the Organization of American States and tried to block their economy. This situation extended until July of 1975 when, according to a new agreement all the American countries were in freedom to resume their relations with Cuba. In 1976 a new Constitution was promulgated, in which among other things the positions of president of the Republic and prime minister were suppressed, replaced by the one of President of the Council of State, naming for the same one to Fidel Castrro, who thus assumed the headquarters of the State and the communist Party.

The Great Havana is a metropolitan area that extends by all the coast and includes the capital and several municipalities: Marianao, Regla, Guanabacoa, San Miguel del Padrón, Casablanca and Cojimar, among others. Due to its privileged situation, the present capital of Cuba was in the past an important stop in the gold route between Spain and America, very prone to the attack of the pirates. In order to protect from them it was constructed a defensive system in the 17th century, with the fortresses of La Fuerza, el Morro y la Punta. By the end of the 18th century it was filled by a dozen of seats and small squares constituting within 6 km of walled perimeter, the primary nucleus of the population, known today as Old Havana and declared "Cultural Patrimony of the Humanity" by the UNESCO.

The main commercial artery of the city is the Obispo street. One of the symbols of the city is the Giraldilla, a 2 meters bronze statue that carries in its hand the cross of Caravaca, located in the La Fuerza fortress. When approaching Plaza Vieja is inescapable a visit to the Jaruco Count house, now the Cultural Heritage Cuban Fund, with numerous art galleries, and the Cárdenas sisters house, present centre of the philharmonic society of the city. Between the second half of the 18th century and principles of the 19th appeared new spaces, like the first Havana walk, known as "Alameda de Paula". Other places are the Plaza de la Catedral -considered the best conserved colonial architectonic set of Latin America-, and the Plaza de la Revolución.

As time passes, ample avenues like the Malecón, Reina or Carlos III draw up the course of the expansive growth of the city towards the west. The Malecón is nowadays a vast boulevard that extends by the coast to the district of Miramar, in the other border of the Almendrades river. It was constructed to protect the city of the waves caused by cyclones. It concludes in the Chorrera fort, constructed in 1695 to defend the city from the pirate attacks.

Between downtown Havana and the right border of the Almendrades river it raises Vedado. This enclave, that formerly served as a security perimeter in case of an attack, is now the place where the rich Havanans construct their houses. Great hotels, wide avenues and an eclectic architecture define this space. Here’s the Havana university, with an inner enclosure that has the greater collection of pre-Columbian art of the island. The Fifth Avenue, created in the 20th century and one of the most beautiful of the country, unites Vedado the coastal development zone, with important business centres, hotels and other tourist infrastructures. It’s not possible to left Havana without stopping a moment in the Christopher Columbus cemetery and in the Miramar district, which hoists beautiful walks surrounded by magnificent villas and embassies.

Photos of Havana

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