CubaPLUS Magazine

The Wonder City, as Havana is known, officially declared in 2016 in the third annual contest organized by the Swiss foundation New7Wonders, has numerous historical sites and, among them, the ruins of what were the walls of the Cuban capital, are faithful witnesses of numerous past events.

Old Havana is one of the most visited places by foreign and Cuban tourists because it has so much history that, although known to many, most regulars like to re-hear events from previous centuries, as there can always be some new fact.

Something that draws a lot of attention from visitors are the ruins of what were the walls of Havana, built around the territory that the Cuban capital occupied in the 17th century. The idea of building the walls was due to the fact that, at that time, Old Havana was highly coveted by corsairs and pirates, due to its geographical location and the potential it held for the economic development of the island.

Hence it was the object of frequent attacks by these outlaws. In order to protect the city, the fortresses of La Real Fuerza, La Punta, El Morro, La Cabaña and the towers of Cojímar, La Chorrera and San Lázaro were built. However, the city was still vulnerable, so in 1603 there was already a project to build the wall on the land side.

In addition to this project, there were others, such as the construction of a wooden wall. But all of them were forgotten for various reasons. However, in 1667, Charles II, King of Spain, ordered Havana to be fortified. The construction of these great walls began on January 3, 1671, during the government of Francisco Rodríguez de Ledesma, and was completed almost a century later, because although the part facing the land was finished in 1698, it was not until 1740 that the wall facing the bay was finished.

With an extension of about 4,892 meters, an average height of 10 meters and a thickness of 1.40 meters, its protection was in charge of 3,400 men equipped with 180 pieces of armament. Initially, to access the walled part of the city there were only two doors, but later it came to have nine entrances that closed each night at eight o'clock, after the announcement of cannon shots, and opened at 4:30 in the morning.

Over time, the city grew and the out of the walls area, became larger. Then, as pirate attacks were less frequent, it was decided to demolish them. Today, and as historical evidence, there are some remains of them in various places in Old Havana that have transcended through the centuries.

But there is something that, without a doubt, became a great tradition and that is that every night at nine o'clock, the sound of the cannon shot fired by old cannons from the fortress of La Cabaña is heard, a beautiful ceremony that can be enjoyed by anyone who visits the city.