‘La Habana’, The Story of the Cuban Capital

The urban area of modern Havana swells with over 3.5million souls, making it the largest city not only in Cuba, but in the entire Caribbean region. At its birth it was deemed the ‘Key to the New World’, today its people are a spirited hybrid of cultures and histories, making the name of their city synonymous with rhythm and animation. Cuban holidays almost invariably begin here and, as knowing the past means understanding the present, here is a brief history of this celebrated place.

‘La Habana’, the Story of the Cuban Capital

Most likely named after Taíno chief Habaguanex, the area that we now call Havana was founded in the early 16th century by the Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. The bay upon which the city is based was and is regarded as one of the finest in the world and led to a number of relocations in the early years of the settlement. Finding the final site superbly placed to access the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Stream, the city grew swiftly to become the centre of Spanish activity in both the Caribbean and the Americas in general. An example of this being the conquest of Mexico, which was launched from Cuba in 1519 and headed by Hernán Cortés.

Troubled Beginnings

Modern Havana, with its weathered architecture and old-world charms bears little resemblance to the situation in 16th century Cuba. Holidays here are undertaken for the peacefulness and charm of the island’s people. However, soon after its founding the city was regularly attacked by pirates, and in 1555 razed to the ground by a French Corsair. With piracy a growing problem for the settlement on the land and upon the waves, the Spanish eventually decided that ships returning to Europe must travel in a fleet, thus ensuring safety in numbers.

Growth and Development

Once secured against piracy the city began to flourish, and in 1592 was officially given the title of ‘City’ by King Philip II. Many of the churches, monuments and defensive structures that one can see on modern Cuban holidays were built in the boom that followed this period; including the fortress of “San Salvador de la Punta” and the Castillos of “los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro” and “la real Fuerza”. By the 18th century, more than 70,000 people called Havana their home and, despite a very brief British invasion in 1762, the island remained under Spanish control and the capital came to be regarded as the most lavish and fortified city in the Americas.

The ‘Paris of the Antilles’

The cultural boom of the 19th century was so pronounced that Havana earned the nickname of the ‘Paris of the Antilles’. Theatres and lavish mansions were constructed throughout the city, sugar production netted huge revenues country-wide and, with the opening of a line between Havana and Bejucal, Cuba became the 5th country in the world to employ a rail system.
From Spanish to American to Cuban

The end of the 19th century marked the withdrawal of the Spanish from Cuba and instead Havana and the rest of the island came under the influence of the USA. With a slew of casinos, hotels and nightclubs built across the city, Havana earned a new reputation as an exotic playground for the appetites of the rich and notorious. Many of the highly romanticized tales of Havana were formed in this period and far from seeking grandeur and sophistication from Cuba, holidays to the island became synonymous with indulgence and iniquity.

With the gap widening between the rich and poor, Cuban society became more and more unstable. This culminated in the revolution of 1959 which replaced the militarist regime with a planned socialist system. From this point onwards the story of Havana leaves the realm of history and becomes an issue of modern politics.

Havana herself displays many relics and monuments to the various stages of her history. Make sure to walk her streets and drink in the flavours of her past on your next Cuban holiday.