Havana

Havana (Spanish, La Habana), city, capital, and chief seaport of Cuba, in western Cuba. The largest city in the West Indies, Havana is on the western side of the Bay of Havana, on the northern coast of the island, south of Key West, Florida. The Bay of Havana is one of the safest harbours in the world; a narrow strait affords entrance to the bay, which is navigable by ocean-going vessels. The eastern side of the outer entrance is dominated by Morro Castle, a 16th-century fortress. Castillo de la Punta, another old fortress, is on the western side of the strait. Population 2,189,716 (2000 estimate).

Numerous docks, warehouses, and related facilities occupy considerable frontage along the inner harbour, and a substantial part of the imports and exports of the island are handled through Havana. Sugar refining and tobacco processing are the principal industries. Other industries include distilling, food processing, and the manufacture of textiles. Havana is the most important rail, highway, and air terminus in Cuba, although international air service to Cuba is limited to connections with selected nations.

Havana is one of the oldest and most picturesque cities of the western hemisphere. Before the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro assumed power in 1959, it was a popular winter resort, particularly for tourists from the United States. The buildings of Havana are largely of white coral limestone. The original portion of the city, located near the inner entrance of the harbour, contains narrow, crooked streets, old houses with overhanging balconies, and various historic landmarks; it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Beyond the older section, Havana is essentially modern, with numerous magnificent residences, imposing public buildings and ecclesiastical edifices, beautiful parks and plazas, and broad, tree-lined boulevards. Many of the larger private homes have been turned into government offices, student residences, or other public facilities by the Castro government. Among the boulevards are the Paseo de Martí, better known as the Prado, the Avenida del Puerto, the Malecón, the Alameda de Paula, and the Avenida de las Misiones. Several of the drives, notably the Avenida del Puerto, extend along the edge of the bay. Notable buildings include the national Capitol, a white limestone structure similar in design to the US Capitol; the Capitanía, administrative headquarters of the captain of the port; the presidential palace; and the University of Havana. Besides Morro Castle, the outstanding historic landmarks are the former convent of Santa Clara, constructed in 1644; El Castillo de la Real Fuerza (called La Fuerza), a fortress built between 1565 and 1583 and once the headquarters of the Spanish colonial governors; the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, dating from 1656; the city post office, originally the Church of San Francisco, which dates from 1575; the Castillo del Príncipe, another old fortress, now used as the city jail; and the City Hall, a former palace of the colonial governors, completed in 1792 and generally regarded as the best example of Spanish colonial architecture in Cuba. Among the principal public parks of Havana are the Plaza de la Fraternidad, the Parque Central, and the Parque de Colón. The city has a number of notable educational and cultural institutions, including, as well as the University of Havana, the former Catholic University of St Thomas of Villanova, now the Makerenko Institute for teachers, the Municipal Conservatory of Music, the National Museum, and the National Library.

Founded in 1515 on the site of the modern town of Batabanó by the Spanish administrator Diego Velázquez, Havana was transferred to its present location in 1519. The excellent harbour and strategic location of the settlement made it the chief Spanish naval station in the New World, the port at which Spanish treasure ships assembled before the voyage back to Spain. As a result, during the late 16th and early 17th centuries Havana was often under siege by English, Dutch, and French pirates. By the time of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) the city had been heavily fortified and enclosed within a wall, but in August 1762 Havana was captured by a British fleet. In the following year the city was restored to Spain in exchange for Spanish holdings in present-day Florida, and, under easier trade restrictions, Havana prospered as a commercial centre. In February 1898, the battleship USS Maine was blown up in Havana harbour, and during the ensuing Spanish-American War the port was blockaded by the US fleet. Under the US military administration, which assumed control of Havana after the defeat of Spain, Havana again flourished commercially. In addition, sanitary conditions were improved and many areas of the city were rebuilt and modernized. For the history of Havana after 1898, see Cuba.