One area that seemed to catch all of our attention was the beautiful
architecture in and around the city of Havana. Although there are not
very many, what I would call “modern” buildings, you do find quite a
variety of influences throughout the city.
Listening
to our guide on the walking tours of Old Havana, we were told stories
of Spanish settlers, English influence, pirates that ravaged the city,
and also American gangsters that had quite a hold of the city for quite
some time in the early/mid 1900’s. Also mentioned was the slavery trade
as well. There is a huge portioned around the African slave trade during
the early pioneer days. Many of these people have roots deep seated in
the Cuban culture. Though not much of the architecture relates to this
part of the Cuban history, you do hear it in the music and in the local
art that you see.
Some of the older buildings in Old Havana almost had a castle type
appeal to the structure. There were many building from that era that had
very large wooden doors with smaller sub-doors. The large doors could
open allowing a large opening at the front of the building with the
smaller door to be opened to allow people to get in our out the
structure with little difficulty. Old Havana was surrounded by a large
brick wall at one point early in the history of the city. Much of this
wall has been torn down, but there are several large sections that
remain.
There
are beautiful church structures throughout the city. Many have large
bell towers which remain standing at this time. Very elegant stained
glass can also be seen in these places of worship. Many of the older
Churches are not used due to the deteriorating condition of the
building. Some are open just to step in and snap a picture.
The Old Fort at the entrance to the Havana harbor is quite unique as
well. As mentioned in earlier articles, this fort was used by many
different nations that at one point or another occupied the Cuban
Island. Fortified with many cannon stations, the harbor was very
difficult to enter unless authorized. The immediate coast line next to
the city is very rocky, therefore a landing directly on the city
shoreline would prove to be very difficult.
There
is a large hotel obtained by an American Mob Boss that is still
standing right on the coast line in Havana. Located on a small knoll
overlooking the entrance to Havana Bay, this stylish Havana
accommodation was originally built in 1929-30 through a joint agreement
with the Cuban government and U.S.-based banks. American companies
designed and built the Nacional, and as soon as it was completed,
tourists from America flooded the hotel's spacious reception areas,
dining rooms and gardens. It was "the" place to be in Havana. This hotel
was frequented by film legends like Frank Sinatra, Errol Flynn, Clark
Gable, and Ava Gardner - their pictures decorate the walls of the
hotel's café bar.
Hotel Nacional is inextricably linked to the mobster years. In 1946
Lucky Luciaono called a summit at the Nacional at which the carving up
of Havana was on the agenda. In 1955 the Nacional's casino and nightclub
were opened and managed by Meyer Lansky.
In 1990 the government decided to renovate the hotel and bring it
back to its showpiece status. In May 1992, the 483-room hotel reopened,
catering primarily to businessmen and high-class tourists. Unlike most
other hotels in Cuba, the Nacional does not focus on the package tour
business, giving it an altogether more professional and luxurious
ambiance.
The Nacional is now a major business centre in Havana. Businessmen
are in abundance, speaking English and Spanish and making deals. The
"Habana Libre Hotel" used to be where the deals were made, but the power
centre is quickly moving to the Nacional. There's even an executive
floor in the hotel with concierge service, meeting rooms, faxes and
computers. All the guest rooms have air conditioning and are
well-equipped with minibars, direct line telephones and cable
television.
However, this doesn't mean that you can't come to
the Nacional just to relax and enjoy the weather in Cuba and culture.
The main swimming pool is large and extremely welcoming after a hot day
spent on the Havana streets or visiting cigar factories. There are few
things better in Havana than taking a quick dip in the pool and then
sipping an ice cold Cuban beer while overlooking the cityscape or the
bright blue Caribbean. A three-minute walk from the hotel and you are on
famous Malecon Boulevard, which runs along the rocky coast of Havana.
In addition, the hotel has a good gym, tennis courts and plenty of
gardens to stroll through.
This is just a small taste of what we experienced while walking
around visiting the city of Havana. If ever given the opportunity to
return, it would be worth it just to walk around and view more of the
beautiful buildings and historical structures still standing.
To view my photo gallery of our Havana visit, please go to http://www.medmgtservices.com/resource-center