In 1909 a formal Goods Exchange was established when Lonja del Comercio neo-classical building was completed.Īnother buildings of great significance surrounding the square are Terminal Marítima Sierra Maestra, the Palace of The Marquis of San Felipe y Santiago de Bejucal, the Havana Customs building, among others. Soon it became the main trade hub of the city where all sorts of goods and merchandise were exchanged. Galleons full of Spanish emigrants and African slaves used to unload and stock up in this waterfront square before continuing on journey to Las Americas or returning to Spain.
Plaza de San Francisco was the harbour front of the city in colonial times. Today is Old Havana’s main tourist square, and it is surrounded by the most important colonial buildings such as the Palace of the Captain Generals, the Palacio del Segundo Cabo, the Fortress of the Royal Force, El Templete, and others. The Square of Arms, the oldest square in Old Havana and the original place of the foundation of the city, was named after the military exercises, events and ceremonies that used to take place in the square in the sixteen century. An excellent way to explore Old Havana, is to embark on one of the guided walking tours of Authentic Cuba Travel® that follows the narrow cobblestone streets that connect the main colonial squares. There are many incredible attractions and historic things to do and see in Old Havana. The city was burned to the ground by the French pirate Jacques de Sores after he captured the city in its earliest days, and it was after this incident that the Spanish built the city walls and fortresses that can still be seen in the area today.Ĭastillo de la Real Fuerza, the city’s first fortress, was constructed in 1558 Castillo del Morro, built in 1587, San Salvador de la Punta among others are all architecturally magnificent and best examples of Cuba’s military architecture, and each has a unique history that is not to be missed. Old Havana is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and many of the buildings that fell into ruin after the colonial period are now being restored to their former status and appearance. Much of Havana Vieja was constructed during the Spanish colonial time period which is apparent in the city’s baroque and neoclassic architecture.
At the time, travel between the Old World and the New World by sea meant that Spanish Galleons would be passing by the island of Cuba, and Havana quickly became one of the biggest shipbuilding centers of the time period. Founded in 1519 under the name of Villa de San Cristobal de La Habana, Old Havana is the historical center of the Cuban capital of Havana.
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