The Jewels of Cuban Colonial Architecture

Cuba is truly an unique and amazing country, while itsNevertheless, the rest are not less worthy in
beaches and resorts are on a par with anywhere elsearchitectonic and historic monuments, public squares,
in the world, it is the culture, music, architecture andand palaces. Bayamo, for instance, was burnt
its people that really make it a place worth visiting,completely by its own inhabitants in the early days of
and also make the difference with others Caribbeanthe Ten Years War of 1868, so it would not fall in
countries. Cuba has some of biggest and betterenemy hands. But it still treasures part of the original
conserved Spanish colonial architecture cores inParochial Church and countless extremely important
America.historic site, plus the local color of its traditions, like
Don Diego de Velazquez, the island's governor, begunthe buggy rides along its aged streets. Yesterday's
the conquer and settle of Cuba during 1510's and hePuerto Principe, today's Camaguey, with a historic
was the founder of the first Cuban townships.core as large as Havana's and many times larger than
Between 1512 and 1519 were founded NuestraTrinidad's, shows visitors it small streets of peculiar
Señora de la Asuncion de Baracoa, San Salvadoroutlines, its churches, squares and its mansions, with
de Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba, Santisima Trinidad,homely courtyard presided by the large jar-shaped
Sancti Spiritus, Santa Maria del Puerto del Principeclay tinajones, used locally as rain water collectors.
(Camaguey today), San Juan de los Remedios andSan Juan de los Remedios, a small and pretty town in
San Cristóbal de La Habana. Today, they stillthe center of the island also conserve a small colonial
preserve part of their charming and hoary dignifiedcore and very funny local traditions, in its
antiquity. Havana and Trinidad are, without anysurroundings are Caibarien, other interesting fishmen
possible doubt, the ones that still maintain theirtown and Cayo Santa Maria, a tiny cay with a
historic cores with the highest percentage ofmagnificent beach and some of better hotels in Cuba.
surviving antique buildings and public squares,Baracoa and Santiago de Cuba are charmingly
assembling architectonic, historic and culturalauthentic. Placed by the sea and surrounded by
compounds of great value. Both have beenmountains, the Caribbean atmosphere in their ways
registered by UNESCO as World Heritage.of life is particularly strong in Santiago de Cuba, while
Havana, with the biggest colonial core in America,in Baracoa yet are visible the consequences of
today work hardly for preserve its heritage and it's ageographic isolation for many years in the past .
magnificent place to visit and walk, the old part ofSantiago's San Pedro de la Roca del Morro castle,
town features buildings of superb architectural value,Adelantado Velazquez's house, Santiagos' Cathedral,
a privileged array of plazas and squares, and a mightyCarnaval Museum, Parque Cespedes, Bacardi Museum,
defensive system that combine all to make up theall are worth visiting. The very first thing that meets
most amazing historic urban core of the entirethe eye is the burg's architecture, a peculiar blend of
Caribbean and the Americas.colonial and eclectic styles harking back the Republic's
Trinidad, also called the Museum City in Caribbean,early going. Baracoa, the Primate City, Cuba's first
charming and beautiful jewel of colonial treasure ofcapital, jealously guard the first Christian relic in the
Cuba also is worth a visit, it conserve yet theNew World: the Holy Cross of Parra, kept at Nuestra
atmosphere of past time and also is surrounding for aSeñora de la Asuncion Church, also an incredible
beautiful beach, Playa Ancon, and for Escambraynatural surroundings revalue the city.
Range, a natural paradise.