HAVANA

Probably no city in Latin America is not built like Havana. If the other emerged as mediators, that Havana has been an urban-warrior. Christopher Columbus discovered Cuba in 1492 - already in his first trip. Arrivals followed by the Spaniards did not find here or gold or diamonds, and because the island they are not interested, although H. Columbus called it "the most beautiful land that ever saw the man. "

Stretched out among the oceanic expanses of the island was entirely covered with dense tropical vegetation. Under the canopy of lush palm crowns hiding small houses made of poles with roofs of palm leaves. In the north of the island conquistadors discovered an excellent wide harbor, protected from the sea a narrow strip of the Cape, with a deep fairway, which today are free to modern ocean-going ships. But this country did not need the Spaniards, so Havana was known as "the city in an empty country. "

Initially, Havana was established in 1514 on the southern coast of Cuba, then the settlement was moved to the northern coast, where the final and was located near the great bay, its outline resembling a maple leaf. Modest-looking town in the first decades of its existence has become an outpost for the Spanish ships, exploding in the west in search of the "golden land".

It is said that in the current Cuban capital, there are two places that have seen in my lifetime, perhaps, much more than the entire country. This port and the area in front of the Cathedral in Old Havana. Indeed, the Havana port has seen in his lifetime a lot. "Puerto de karenas" ( "shelly port") - so at first the Spaniards dubbed the bay, where H. Columbus ordered his captains to drop anchor, to clean the bottom of ships from sea shells, adhere to during the long voyage. In the first decades of Spanish domination of the port has been mediocre trade harbor: here came the ships, which are mainly transported by sugar and tobacco, formed the basis of trade between the Spanish and British colonies in the New World.

Photo — «Havana»

The immense wealth of the Americas to the Caribbean, attracted hordes of pirates, and soon the Havana Bay with its settlement of the Spaniards to become an invaluable strategic importance. In 1553 G. Perez de Angulo, another captain-general (governor) of Cuba, realizing the importance of this bay, moved his residence from Baracoa to Havana, thus making the city the capital of the island.

Since then, the main concern of the Spaniards in Cuba, became defense and protection of Havana Bay, a gathering before sailing to Spain, laden with riches convoys of ships, including ships, lowered the stocks in the Havana shipyard. The memory of the important position of Havana on the tracks of West Indian colonies, and still keeps the key image in the emblem of the city.

La Fuerza, the first fortress in Havana, began building in 1558. Until now, this remains a stronghold of the most perfect and best of all the surviving buildings of Havana. The city walls, rising out of the water, steep climb to the top of the platform, with three sides surrounded by a one-storey building, for two centuries served as the residence for the Spanish rulers of Cuba. A wide moat surrounded by La Fuerza, he moved through the two wooden bridges, which even today you can take on mighty chains. The loopholes in the walls are carved so that neither the sea nor the land can not see what is going on inside.

Huge compared with the surrounding buildings of the fortress of La Fuerza became the nucleus of the future city. And the harsh nature of its architecture for a long time became a model for the construction of not only military buildings, but also religious and even civil buildings.

To protect the bay from the pirates of the Caribbean, the Spaniards began to build other fortresses, watch towers, next to Havana Hills strengthened the powerful system of fortifications.

Photo — «Havana»

The British, who dared to attack Havana in the XVIII century, it took 200 warships and nearly 20-thousand landing, but with such a force they are forced to surrender to Havana after 70 days of heavy fighting.

A year later, Havana was returned to Spain and then to Cuba immediately sent a military engineer S. Abarca for the reconstruction of destroyed and the building of new fortresses. These fortresses and now play an important organizing role in town planning the city of Havana and give only his peculiar appearance, becoming somewhat "calling card" of the Cuban capital.

Architecture of Havana evolved in complex natural conditions, where the shore of the island carved rocky outcrops and swale. The fortress wall clutching growing city, and Havana became close to its original boundaries. Streets were narrow, and built them wooden houses are often burned. Fire suit and pirates, slaves and rose up, so after each fire was only a stone. By the time the completed construction of La Fuerza and significantly advanced the construction of other fortresses, issued a decree of the Spanish King Philip II, prohibits building in Havana, wooden houses.

Old Havana has a relatively regular planning, which determines the size of city blocks and wide streets. Therefore, the main city square - Place de Arm - a rectangular shape, as the name speaks for its original purpose - serve as a venue for military ucheniy. 2

Not far from the fortress of La Fuerza be the Palace of the Governor of Cuba. Everything in it is built in distant Spain: patio, elegant columns in the Baroque style, balconies and galleries are arranged so that the sun does not fall into the room. Yet all was not as in Spain: for example, among the baroque curlicues local handyman instead of a flower suddenly have entered the pineapple . . .

On the second floor of the palace housed apartments Governor Tacon, and to the left of them - a tribunal that did not spare anyone.

Photo — «Havana»

To pay for the construction of a luxurious palace, had to take the ground floor to local merchants, Creoles. Early in the morning they were brought here fish, meat, vegetables, fruits . . . And those who wished to appear noble and isolate themselves from the mob, were forced to step in the morning through the bags and make our way among the carts. So life invaded the palace!

Almost simultaneously with the governor′s palace began to build his palace rich and powerful Creole Domingo Aldama. He chose a classic style: everything from the construction site of the palace outside the city walls, was talking about calling the Spanish crown.

White, Italian marble staircases as if hanging in the air, barely touching the walls, painted ceilings halls are painted by skilled European artists. In this palace, which is now known in Havana as a "house of Miguel Aldama" (son of Domingo), in their time going to famous artists, singers were from Italy, met the progressive Cuban writers. The walls of the palace crowd of hundreds of listeners, and guests Aldama out on the balcony to greet his fans. The first vote for the abolition of slavery, too, heard from the palace.

Once it came wealthy patrons to redeem from captivity black poet F. Manzano. Learning of this, its owner, the Marquis de Santa Huszti, doubled the price, but the poet still bought. Granting him freedom, patrons have asked that he wrote later memories servant, and this book was the greatest document of the epoch.

Supporters of the royal power in Cuba could not make free-thinking atmosphere of the palace Aldama, attacked him and looted and then torched. Miguel Aldama fled to the United States and died there in poverty, and in his palace at first placed the tobacco factory, and then some kind of office . . . Times change, people have changed, and the palace stands still.

Photo — «Havana»

Even his paintings, written in the style of Pompeian frescoes, and now look like they created only yesterday.

The development of production of sugar cane, tobacco and coffee has led to the end of XVIII century to the flourishing of Cuba. Rapidly increased the wealth of the local Creole elite, and the development of trade and other industries as shipbuilding and port activities in Havana, have stimulated the construction of the city. At that time, expanded economic ties with the countries of Cuba, Old World, with the result that the Cubans became acquainted with the culture of these countries, their life and architecture. As a kind of opposition to the cultural traditions of the monarchist Spain Creole bourgeoisie especially liked the Neo revolutionary France. He opened the period of neoclassicism in Havana, a small temple templet on the Plaza de Arm, erected in honor of 300 anniversary of the founding of the city.

The twentieth century, marked by the imperialist war in Europe, brought Cuban to know more profits due to increased demand for Cuban sugar. The rich elite of society began to build their homes in the western part of the city - the area of Vedado, where this time the appearance of public space was completely new to Havana. In Spanish "El Vedado" means "forbidden", and name it goes back to the days when all Havana was hidden behind a high wall, and residents in fear of the harshest punishments were forbidden to go out in the rain forest teeming with smugglers, pirates and other people robber .

Quarters today Vedado lined rectangles in many homes, like small palaces. They had been built inside the gardens, which gradually turned into parks. Mansions of the area and some others (in particular, Miramar quarter) are usually constructed in two stages: the first located reception halls and the state dining room that open out to terraces, gardens and parks.

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The second floor was intended for private owners of apartments, houses middle bourgeoisie had the same layout, but slightly smaller. These rich houses were built, trying to outdo each other in a luxury, sugar barons and resellers, there are smart lawyers and politicians roguish 20-30-ies of XX century. Some of them do not always have enough flavor, but the salvation of nature: green palm trees, blue skies and amazingly bright colors (red, orange, purple), clusters grow on trees . . .

Havana has always produced an indelible impression on travelers. Alexander von Humboldt, writer B. Ibanez, Vladimir Mayakovsky, and others visited Havana in different times, but all were fascinated by her beauty. "City of Pillars" called the capital of the Cuban writer A. Carpentier. And indeed, in its diverse architecture, represented a legacy of the ancient and Moorish architecture. And although the buildings are built for centuries, but they will not last forever, so "Old Havana" declared UNESCO heritage of mankind. In 1981 the country adopted a plan of reconstruction of the historic part of town, and many buildings are beginning to emerge. The Cuban revolution has provided the space and the flourishing of the national architecture, "the client which since 1959 has all the Cuban people. " Cheerful and witty people of Havana, the irrepressible and inexhaustible source of jokes and imagination, artistic in music, dance and singing, he looks like, like their city, the muchacha - a mischievous child with big eyes . . .