La Fuerza Fortress and Maritime Museum. La Fuerza Fortress and La Real Fuerza Maritime Museum

One of the symbols is the fortress of La Real Fuerza (Castillo de la Real Fuerza). It is located in the old part and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is the oldest fortification structure not only in the country, but throughout Latin America. It was built to protect the capital's port from pirates.

Currently, there are several defensive forts in Havana, but La Real Fuerza is the best preserved to this day. It is located in the eastern part of the city and amazes tourists with its grandeur and inaccessibility. Its strong walls remind of the difficult life of the Cuban population, its resilience and strength.

The citadel was founded in 1558 and today is a museum. The Spaniards used the coast of Havana as a transshipment base, so they tried to strengthen this territory as much as possible. Fort La Real Fuerza was strengthened and rebuilt over the course of 2 centuries.

History of the construction of the fortress

The full name of the citadel is Castillo de la Real Fuerza, which translates as “castle of the strong king.” The first version of the fortress was built over 19 years. At that time, it had the shape of a square with towers at the corners, made of hewn sandstone blocks, and was surrounded by a moat. The walls reached a height of 10 m, a width of 4 m, and above the entrance there was a relief coat of arms, which is currently the oldest sculptural statue in the city. Construction work was carried out mainly by French prisoners and slaves.

Constant pirate raids and uninvited guests from European countries damaged the walls of the fortress, in which not only the Spaniards were hiding, but also the indigenous inhabitants. In the 16th century, King Philip II ordered the restoration of the La Real Fuerza fort. During the construction work, unique engineering solutions were used, for example, special channels were made here to ensure constant air circulation.

Over time, the appearance of the La Real Fuerza fortress changed several times. The most significant event occurred in the 17th century, when a two-story tower with a weather vane in the shape of a girl, La Giraldilla, was erected above one of the bastions. She was the faithful wife of Governor Hernando before Soto, and while her husband was in America, the woman ruled the city for several years. Subsequently, the figurine was stolen and taken out of the country, and later local artisans made a copy of it, which was installed in the same place.

For several centuries, the following institutions were located on the territory of the La Real Fuerza fortress:

• National Archives - end XIX century;
• National Library - from 1938 until the start of the revolution;
• Museum of Modern Art - from 1977 to 1989;
• Museum of Cuban Ceramics - from 1990 to 2009;
• Maritime Museum - it was opened in 2010 and is still operating.

Today you can see here ancient navigational instruments and objects found in sunken ships. The museum's collection covers the period from the pre-Columbian era to the present. The most valuable exhibit is considered to be a model of the ship Santisima-Trinidad. It was the largest ship in the 18th century.

Today it has an interactive screen that introduces visitors to the history of the liner in several languages. The museum also displays models of other ships, a model of the La Real Fuerza fortress and various artifacts. The territory of the citadel is decorated with historical weapons of various sizes and unusual sculptures created by modern Cuban masters.

What do you need to know about visiting the fort?

The La Real Fuerza fortress is open every day from 09:30 to 18:30, on Sunday visitors are allowed until 12:30. Price entrance ticket is $1.5.

How to get there?

From the center you can walk here along Ave de México Cristina or Avenue del Puerto/Av. Del. You can also reach the fortress by car along the Ave Carlos Manuel Céspedes (Avenue del Puerto)/Av. Del Puerto/Desamparados/Malecón/Tunel de La Habana. The distance is approximately 4 km.

Address: La Habana, O"Reilly. Opening hours: from 09:30 to 17:00, from Tuesday to Sunday. Entrance fee: 2 CUP.

The history of the creation of the La Fuerza fortress

Not far from the center of Havana is the most old fortress City: La Fuerza. From Plaza de Armas you can walk to it in a few minutes. The path along the San Pedro embankment (from railway station) longer. Based on the year of its foundation - 1558, it is considered the oldest of the port fortifications in South and North America. Real Fuerza once protected Havana from pirate raids. It has been perfectly preserved and now houses exhibitions of the Maritime Museum.
At the time of the founding of Havana, the inaccessibility and reliability of fortifications were important for any city. And the bay, so convenient for ships coming from Spain, had to be protected from the pirate ships that infested the Caribbean. This forced us to strengthen defenses and build new towers. Over two hundred years, La Fuerza was rebuilt, justifying its full name "Castle of the King's Power" or "Castillo de la Real Fuerza".
During the first nineteen years, walls with towers at the corners, surrounded by a deep ditch, were built from local sandstone. The construction involved the labor of captured French sailors and slaves brought from Africa. The fortress seemed impregnable - the 10-meter-high walls could only be climbed using rope ladders from the inside. The four-meter thickness could not be broken through by cannonballs. Even the ventilation holes were made safe - they were given a cone shape, the narrow end facing the inside of the fortress, and the wide end facing the sea. This design improved air movement and prevented penetration. The house of the Spanish governor was located nearby.
Since those years, a coat of arms carved from a marble slab has been preserved above the entrance arch. Later, at the beginning of the 17th century, the corner bastion was supplemented with a two-story small tower. On the roof there is a weather vane - a female figurine made of bronze. It is called La Giraldilla and is considered the symbol of Old Havana. A legend has been created about her - supposedly the model was the wife of Governor de Soto - Ines (or Isabel) de Bobadilla. She had to replace her husband, the governor, who left the city for several years. During the entire existence of Havana, she was the only woman to rule it. In fact, the real La Giraldilla moved to the museum long ago. The capture of the fortress by the British, which happened in the 18th century, deprived the city of its symbol. They found the figure much later and, not wanting to lose it again, placed it in the museum. And on the spire they installed one made according to an ancient model. The image of the bronze heroine adorns the labels of the famous "Havana Club" - a Cuban rum with a hundred-year history.

History of the creation of the maritime museum

When la Fuerza lost its defensive importance, it was transferred to the National Archives. He remained there until 1899. In 1938 the National Library was located there. After the revolution, the ancient building was empty for several years. And for its four hundredth anniversary (in the late seventies), it housed exhibitions of the Museum of Modern Art. From 1990 to 2010, the premises housed the Museum of Ceramics, after which they were transferred to the Maritime Museum. There are 5 halls open in it - the central one, the largest one and in all the bastions.
The exhibition features exhibits related to the history of navigation before Columbus's voyage, and the history of the Royal Havana Shipyard. During its existence, more than two hundred different ships emerged from there, mainly for the navy. One of the most interesting exhibits is a small copy of the Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad, a ship launched in the city harbor in 1769. At one time she was the largest of the warships. On a four-meter ship you can visit the holds and cabins. In addition to the real navigation instruments that served the sailors of those years, visitors will see numerous objects found at the bottom of the sea.
Models of boats on display range from dugout wooden boats and reed-knit Aboriginal boats to sailing ships and steamships of more later eras. No less interesting are the collections of bladed weapons and firearms, military uniforms and awards. Gold from pirate treasures and raised from the bottom of the sea. Photography is allowed only in one room (with dummies). la Fuerza appeared on the World Heritage List in 1982.

When, after the discovery of America, Europeans began en masse to colonize new lands, the Spaniards seemed to have pulled out a lucky ticket - among other territories, they got the island of Cuba, with a mild climate, fertile soil and convenient harbors. There was only one problem - pirates, who had long considered this piece of land their property. However, other European powers periodically made attempts to recapture the island from more successful neighbors. It is not surprising that defensive structures had to be built on these coasts that would hold back the pressure of gentlemen of fortune and foreign fleets.

One of these fortresses is La Real Fuerza, which was founded back in 1558 and has been well preserved to this day. Especially considering the fact that for two centuries the fortress was the main defensive structure on the sea side. All this time, it was endlessly strengthened, rebuilt and modernized, increasing its defensive power.

The citadel was built by slaves and prisoners of war. It took about 19 years to create, and architectural masterpiece The building didn't look like it at all. But the square fortress had high, strong walls, numerous loopholes from which fire was fired, corner bastions, and to make it inaccessible, not only was it surrounded by a deep ditch, but it was not even equipped with stairs. At all. The garrison used ropes. A marble coat of arms of the city was solemnly installed above the entrance - it can still be admired today.

In the 17th century, La Real Fuerza received an unusual decoration - a two-story tower was built on one of the bastions, on the roof of which there was a weather vane in the form of a female figure. She appeared here in honor of the wife of the Havana governor de Soto, who ruled the city for several years while her husband was in prison. North America. Actually, this was the first and last time that a woman ruled the Cuban capital. The weather vane is still in its place, but now it is only a copy - the original was lost during the capture of Havana in the 18th century by the British. Then, by no means other than a miracle, he was found, but out of harm’s way, he was sent to the city museum.

After the need for a defensive structure disappeared, the fortress was adapted for peaceful needs. The National Archives and later a library were located here. In 1977, during the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the fort, the Museum of Modern Art was opened here (which has already moved from here).

And since 2010, these premises have housed the Maritime Museum. Here are replicas of ships, from small boats to 3-4 meter models, made with amazing accuracy. Ancient maps, navigational instruments, all kinds of gear, and even real treasures raised from the seabed. Here, visitors will be introduced to the history of the Royal Shipyards of Havana - over three centuries of belonging to Spain, about 200 ships were built here.

Havana is able to surprise curious tourists with a variety of different attractions and architectural monuments. Among them, the fortress de la Real Fuerza stands out, which has survived to this day. Unique fortress de la Real Fuerza in Havana is the oldest defensive structure not only in Cuba, but in all Latin American countries.

History of the fortress

The idea of ​​​​building the fortress de la Real Fuerza appeared in 1540. Previously, there was a fortress called Fuerza Vieja, which was captured and destroyed by pirates. In this regard, there was an urgent need to build new defensive fortifications in this place. The solution to this issue was approached thoroughly and thoughtfully. For these purposes, in 1558, a world-famous architect, Bartolomeo Sanchez, was invited.
But, despite the fact that Havana was in dire need of a “stone defender”, the necessary defensive structure appeared only many years later. For more than ten years, city authorities debated about what the fortress should be like. They hired a new engineer, Francisco Carreño, under whose leadership things went much faster. The fortress was built by black slaves, and significant funds were invested in the construction.
And ten years later local residents saw the massive fortress of la Real Fuerza. Since its construction, it has become the basis for the successful development of the city and a symbol of the defensive architecture of Havana. And the strict architecture of the fortress served for a long time as a model for the construction of military buildings of this type.

Modern view of the fortress

The Fortress de la Real Fuerza in Havana surprises many tourists with its power and severity. The powerful ten-meter walls of the castle are six meters thick. They were built from limestone, which was mined in Cuba. Its size is impressive. It is not for nothing that the main task of the fortress is to protect the city from attacks from the sea.
When constructing the fortress, precise symmetry was taken into account. This defensive structure is presented in the form of a square, which is divided into nine identical parts and four bastions are installed in the corners. The perfect symmetry of the building is taken from Italian and French architecture of the 16th century.
Inside the Fortress de la Real Fuerza there are spacious basements where ammunition was stored. Huge caches were also laid here, where the city authorities hid wealth brought from Spain - huge reserves of jewelry: gold, silver and other treasures.
A wide ditch was dug around the fortress and filled with water. The road to the fortress led along two wooden bridges, which were attached to powerful chains. It was possible to observe the surroundings through narrow loopholes cut into the walls.

New life for the fortress

Nowadays, the fortress of la Real Fuerza is historical monument architecture of Havana, the oldest building in Latin America. The weather vane of the fortress de la Real Fuerza became a symbol of Havana, and the fortress itself became its decoration.
Today the fortress houses Art Museum, which houses unique works by local artists. It should be noted that the La Fuerza fortress in Havana is beautiful place for walks with children. This place is especially impressive for boys of different ages. All of them, being in the fortress, imagine themselves as knights or pirates and dream of long sea voyages. While children are playing, adults have a great opportunity from the heights of this architectural monument of Havana to enjoy the beauty of the magnificent sea expanses.

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One of the three fortresses of Havana, interesting for tourists, and the oldest of them is La Fuerza. It is located just a few steps from the Plaza de Armas and the center of the capital. Founded in 1558, this fortress is considered one of the two oldest fortifications in a city harbor on both American continents. It’s even surprising that La Fuerza is the best preserved of all the port forts in Havana. La Fuerza once served as a defense against pirate raids from the sea, and today the Maritime Museum is opened in the fortress.

The museum displays, in particular, a four-meter replica of the ship "Santisma Trinidad", the most big ship 18th century.

From the very beginning, Havana was built as a well-fortified and impregnable city. Its beautiful and convenient bay was perfect as a transhipment base for Spanish ships, which, by royal will, set off in those days on the longest journeys in search of new potentially profitable colonies. America turned out to be a rich land, and there were always many hunters to profit from a bit of this wealth by attacking ships and robbing cities. Havana needed to be protected, and the Spaniards constantly added to and strengthened the port fortifications. In the case of La Fuerza, it took more than two centuries, but the result was apparently worth it.

The full and more correct name of the fortress is Castillo de la Real Fuerza, that is, not just “strong,” but “castle of the king’s strength.”

The first version of the fortress was built over 19 years and was a square of large hewn sandstone blocks with a moat around the perimeter and corner towers. The fortress was built mainly by slaves and captured Frenchmen. Ten-meter walls with narrow loopholes, walls 4 m thick, initially - no stairs, so as not to give the attackers a single chance (the garrison climbed into the fortress along rope ladders). The Spanish governors of the island were located in a one-story building around the fortress.

The marble relief coat of arms above the entrance to the fortress is the oldest sculptural statue in the city.

In the 17th century, a two-story turret with a weather vane in the shape of a woman, La Giraldilla, was built over one of the corner bastions. There is a beautiful legend associated with the figurine: it is said that this is the faithful wife of Governor de Soto, who ruled the city for several years while her husband was in North America. This is the only time the city was ruled by a woman. After La Fuerza was captured by the British in the 18th century, the figurine disappeared, but later “surfaced” and was placed in the city museum. To be installed in the same place, the Havanese made a new one. Nowadays this symbol of Havana can be seen not only on the La Fuerza tower, but also on the Havana Club label.

An interesting solution was invented when designing the ventilation openings: they have the shape of a cone, expanding towards the sea. Thanks to this, the sea wind blows through the fortress, which does not lose any of its defense capability.

La Fuerza Fortress and Maritime Museum

Until 1899, the fortress housed the National Archive, and from 1938 until the revolution - the National Library. In 1977, when the fort turned 400 years old, a museum of modern art opened here. The Museum of Cuban Ceramics has operated here since 1990, and in 2010 the Maritime Museum was opened in the fortress. Here you can view an excellent collection of evidence of the island's glorious maritime past, dating back to pre-Columbian times, including the history of the Royal Shipyards of Havana, where more than two hundred ships of the Spanish fleet were built. The museum displays, in particular, a four-meter replica of the Santisma Trinidad, the largest ship of the 18th century. It is equipped with interactive touchscreens, and visitors can go down into the hold to see real navigational instruments of those times and a collection of finds raised from the seabed.

As part of Old Havana, the fortress was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982.