| Without a doubt, the Morro Castle and its Lighthouse | | | | threw away the relevant idea of Albear. Around 1921, |
| highlight Havana City; however, to tourists, the | | | | the Seafront reached La Rampa by the always |
| Havana Seafront becomes more familiar because of | | | | crowded 23rd Street. With the city development, the |
| its beauty, history, extension, and because it is the | | | | once called Gulf Avenue reached, during the 1950s, |
| most popular spot in the city for the amusement and | | | | the tunnel below the waters of the Almendares |
| recreation of Cubans. | | | | River, a streak of land whereby the Fifth Avenue of |
| Its history began in 1819 when the so called urban | | | | the City was linked to it. |
| expansion area of the walls was put into practice | | | | On the whole, the Havana Seafront is an esplanade |
| owing to the fact that the city was fast growing, | | | | that announces the Florida Straits until where exactly |
| and the coastal line between the entrance of the | | | | ends its borders and where the Cuban borders begin. |
| Havana Bay and Saint Lazarus Tower was just an | | | | Although officially speaking this esplanade begins in La |
| open space of rocks and sea: a beautiful spot known | | | | Punta, its extension covers the whole Port Avenue |
| as "Vedado Mount" where some aristocratic families | | | | (Avenida del Puerto) to the Cruiser Terminal in Old |
| would take sea baths. | | | | Havana. It is a broad highway 4.3 miles long that has |
| In 1859, the urban railroad began to circulate on the | | | | on one side buildings, parks, monuments, and hotels; |
| road extension of San Lazaro St, a railroad that | | | | and on the other side, a strong and wide wall can be |
| covered the distance between the seaport area and | | | | seen, where people go and sit in order to catch |
| the estuary of the Almendares River. During that | | | | some of the summer breeze. Its ambiance makes |
| time the neighborhoods of El Carmelo and El Vedado | | | | lovers think that this is an ideal place. Nevertheless, |
| began to take shape. During that same period, it was | | | | the meters of land that were stolen from the sea |
| thought that the inhospitable coastline of the city | | | | are claimed over and over again during winter |
| could be urbanized and the project went to the | | | | seasons and hurricane seasons in Cuba, when the |
| hands of Mr. Francisco Albear, the greatest Cuban | | | | sea takes over and floods large areas of El Vedado |
| architect of the time. Albear conceived a very | | | | and Central Havana. |
| complex formulation of what should be built: a | | | | The areas surrounding the Seafront have been |
| construction 4 meters above sea level, separated | | | | systematically used for the development of the |
| from the seashores, and supported by a long | | | | traditional carnivals in Havana City, a festive season |
| succession of 250 vaults. The entire project would | | | | adults and children enjoy alike and where they can |
| have a cost of 850 thousand pesos at that time. In | | | | find nautical and sports events among many other |
| 1901 the works began, but it was not until 1919 that | | | | activities. As well, fishermen spend long hours sitting |
| the Havana Seafront began to take shape under the | | | | on the wall waiting for the fish to bite. Generations of |
| commands of the outstanding town planner Jean | | | | Cubans have made of the Seafront an ideal spot for |
| Forestier, famous for his planning interventions in | | | | romantic dates or just a place where they can go to |
| Seville and Paris, and who had come to Cuba in order | | | | relieve stress. That is the reason why many people |
| to establish a Master Plan for the City. | | | | have given it the name of "the longest bench in the |
| Astonished by the Havana coastline area, Forestier | | | | world. |
| took the Project of the Seafront under his wing and | | | | |