| The term Cuban Colonial Architecture covers all the | | | | with an overwhelmingly colonial sentiment, a sense |
| civil and military constructions built in Cuba from the | | | | both environmental and familiar; the final touchstone |
| 16th century to the end of the 19th century. The | | | | of the traditions and spirits of the dominant class and |
| ancient cities in Cuba seduce the visitor with its | | | | the emerging rich Cubans. The monumental and |
| mystery and the way they have survived time and | | | | luxurious style of the civil and military buildings marked |
| natural disasters. The architecture from that period | | | | a Cuban style which progressively became part of |
| of time is marked by the use of columns, arcades, | | | | mansions and public buildings which restored in a way |
| banisters, stained-glass windows, doors, and | | | | the Spanish dominance on the island. As time passed, |
| everything that necessity, good taste, and the | | | | all these peculiarities became engrained in the minds |
| weather allowed constructing. The best exponents of | | | | of the average Cubans, who tried to imitate those |
| this architecture were built in Havana, Trinidad, | | | | construction models. |
| Cienfuegos, Camaguey, and Santiago de Cuba. | | | | The fortifications built on the island are another living |
| Spanish and Cubans thought alike and dedicated a | | | | example of the mixture of styles and the |
| great part of their wealth to demonstrate the sense | | | | appropriations made to adapt to the weather of |
| of domination, conquest, power, and opulence. The | | | | Cuba and the available construction materials. The |
| visitor can find this in Cuba from reminiscences of | | | | greatest part of the buildings was constructed of |
| Spanish Baroque to the lack of French Neoclassic | | | | rocks of masonry from a limy origin and, and the |
| moderation. The most convincing proof is found in | | | | buildings were constructed without decorative |
| the monumental French tombs of the Colon | | | | intentions or excesses. The architects (the vast |
| Cemetery in Havana City and the ones in Cienfuegos, | | | | majority foreigners) did not do anything more than |
| in Reina Cemetery. | | | | building high fortresses with wide walls that would |
| However, despite the logical influences taken in Cuba, | | | | resist the artillery of the time. It is worth saying that |
| its architecture had to assume ideas and solutions | | | | one important colonial contribution was to avoid |
| needed for the heat of the tropic, which later on | | | | massive blueprints and conceive the castles with |
| became a style on its own and have transcended the | | | | points instead of corners in order to lessen the |
| boundaries of the Cuban Culture. Protection from the | | | | impact of the cannons. |
| sun or the heavy rains were reasons enough for | | | | The colonial architecture of Cuba survived the |
| changes, such as the arcade with architrave columns, | | | | Spanish defeat in 1902 and its rules were kept almost |
| high doors and windows, the banisters in the | | | | intact until the advent of the influences of the Art |
| balconies, the staircases and above all the great | | | | Noveau, and Art Deco during the first decades of |
| amount of parks, fountains, squares, small squares, | | | | the 20th century. Nevertheless, with the arrival of |
| benches and avenues. | | | | the American Eclecticism during the 1950s, a great |
| The dominant presence of Catholicism also | | | | amount of the top-class buildings, above all in Havana |
| determined the course of Cuban constructions during | | | | City, disappeared in order to construct new buildings |
| the colonial times. Examples of that are the numerous | | | | full of new airs. |
| churches, chapels, cemeteries, and seminaries built | | | | |