World Heritage Sites in Cuba - Camaguey, Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Carnival of Santiago de Cuba, Battle of Santiago de Cuba (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 34. Chapters: Camaguey, Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Carnival of Santiago de Cuba, Battle of Santiago de Cuba, List of World Heritage Sites in Cuba, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Cuba, Old Havana, Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, Valley de los Ingenios, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Vinales Valley, Antonio Maceo Airport, Ignacio Agramonte International Airport, Desembarco del Granma National Park, University of Santiago de Cuba, University of Camaguey, Estadio Guillermon Moncada, Basilica Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Senora de la Caridad del Cobre, FC Camaguey, FC Santiago de Cuba, Estadio Candido Gonzalez. Excerpt: Havana (Spanish: (.), Spanish pronunciation: , is the capital city, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city is one of the 15 Cuban provinces. The city/province has 2.1 million inhabitants, the largest city in Cuba and (city proper population) in the Caribbean region. The city extends mostly westward and southward from the bay, which is entered through a narrow inlet and which divides into three main harbours: Marimelena, Guanabacoa, and Atares. The sluggish Almendares River traverses the city from south to north, entering the Straits of Florida a few miles west of the bay. Havana was founded by the Spanish in the 16th Century and due of its strategic location it served as a springboard for the Spanish conquest of the continent becoming a stopping point for the treasure laden Spanish Galleons on the crossing between the New World and the Old World. King Philip II of Spain granted Havana the title of City in 1592. The Spaniards began building fortifications, and in 1553 they transferred the governor's residence to Havana from Santiago de Cuba on the eastern end of the island, thus making Havana the de facto capital. The importance of harbour fortifications was early recognized as English, French, and D...