Old Havana (Spanish: La Habana Vieja) is the downtown area and one of 15 neighborhoods that make up Havana, Cuba. It has the second-highest number of people living in a small area and includes the heart of the original city of Havana. The locations of the original city walls now form the boundaries of Old Havana.

In 1982, Old Havana was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List because of its special Baroque and neoclassical buildings, its fortifications, and its importance as a stop along the route to the New World. A year later, a campaign began to restore the buildings to their original appearance.

History

Havana was founded by the Spanish on November 16, 1519, in the natural harbor of the Bay of Havana. It became a place where Spanish galleons, carrying treasure, stopped during their trips between the New World and the Old World. In the 17th century, Havana was one of the main places where ships were built. The city was designed in baroque and neoclassical styles. Many buildings fell into ruin during the second half of the 20th century, but some are being restored. The narrow streets of Old Havana contain many buildings, possibly as many as one-third of the approximately 3,000 buildings in Old Havana. It is the ancient city formed from the port, the official center, and the Plaza de Armas.

In 1555, Old Havana was destroyed by the French pirate Jacques de Sores. The pirate easily took control of Havana, defeated the few defenders, stole from the city, and burned much of it, but he left without finding the great wealth he had hoped to take. After this event, the Spanish brought soldiers to the city and built fortresses and walls to protect it. Construction of Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the first fortress, began in 1558 and was managed by engineer Bartolomé Sanchez.

Old Havana resembles the cities of Cádiz and Tenerife. Alejo Carpentier called it "de las columnas" (of the columns), but it could also be described by its gateways, the revoco, its damaged areas, its restoration, its close spaces, its shade, its coolness, its courtyards. In Old Havana, there are many large ancient monuments, forts, convents and churches, palaces, alleys, arcades, and a high population density. The Cuban government made great efforts to preserve and restore Old Havana through the work of the Office of the Historian of the City, led by Eusebio Leal. These restoration efforts turned Old Havana into a popular tourist destination and made Leal recognized as Old Havana's de facto Mayor.

Main sights

• The Malecón is a street that runs along the seawall on the northern shore of Havana, stretching from Old Havana to the Almendares River.
• The Paseo del Prado is a street that forms the western edge of Old Havana, separating it from Centro Habana.
• Castillo del Morro is a beautiful fortress that guards the entrance to Havana Bay. Its construction was ordered after the English pirate Sir Francis Drake attacked Havana. The Spanish king arranged for the fortress to be built on a large stone called El Morro. In 1587, the field master Juan de Texeda and the military engineer Battista Antonelli arrived in Havana and began the work immediately.
• La Cabaña fortress is located on the eastern side of Havana Bay. It is known for its 18th-century walls, built at the same time as El Morro. Every night at 9 p.m., soldiers in historical uniforms fire a gunshot called "el cañonazo de las nueve" to signal the closing of the city’s old walls.
• San Salvador de la Punta Fortress stands on the shore opposite Castillo del Morro, at the start of El Malecón’s curve. It was built in 1590. In 1629, Havana’s leaders decided to connect it to El Morro with a thick chain at night to block enemy ships from entering the harbor.
• Castillo de la Real Fuerza, also called the Castle of the Royal Army, is a large monument that borders the Plaza de las Armas. It was the city’s first major fortification, started in 1558 on the ruins of an older fortress. That same year, the Spanish Crown sent the engineer Bartolomé Sanchez to rebuild the castle, which had been destroyed by the French pirate Jacques de Sores.
• Catedral de San Cristóbal is the most noticeable building on the Plaza de la Catedral. The cathedral was built on the site of a chapel after 1748 by order of Bishop Jose Felipe de Trespalacios from Salamanca. It is one of the most beautiful and simple examples of American baroque-style churches.
• The National Capitol resembles the Panthéon in Paris and the U.S. Capitol in design.
• Galician Center, Central Park: The Galician Center, built in the neobaroque style, was created as a social club for Galician immigrants between 1907 and 1914. It was built on the site of the Theater Tacon (now the Great Theater of Havana) and opened during the 1838 Carnival with five masked dances.
• Plaza de Armas is the main tourist square. Its name comes from military traditions, as ceremonies and events took place there since the late 16th century.
• Gran Teatro de la Havana is a famous theater, especially known for the National Ballet of Cuba and its founder, Alicia Alonso. It also hosts performances by the National Opera and is sometimes called the Garcia Lorca Concert Hall, the largest in Cuba.
• The Museum of the Revolution is located in the former Presidential Palace. A boat named Granma is displayed outside the museum.
• San Francisco de la Habana Basilica, in Habana Vieja, includes a church and convent of San Francisco de Asis. It was originally built in 1608 and rebuilt in 1737.

Threats

In 2008, Hurricane Ike damaged many buildings in Old Havana, destroying years of work to protect the area's historic structures. The storm also caused residents to leave for safety. Hurricanes add to the challenges faced by Old Havana's historic buildings. Over time, aging buildings, natural wear, and lack of care, along with hurricane risks, make it hard to keep the old town preserved.

Photo gallery

• Museum of Fine Arts
• Cathedral of Havana
• Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, Havana, Cuba
• Castillo de la Real Fuerza
• Iglesia del Espíritu Santo, Havana
• Church Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje
• Floridita Bar
• Arco de Belén, Havana
• Cuartel de Milicias, Havana

Twin towns – sister cities

Old Havana has sister city relationships with the following cities:

• Viveiro, Spain
• Cartagena, Colombia
• Guanajuato, Mexico
• Sintra, Portugal