Havana

The founding of Havana

The current Havana area and its natural bay were first visited by Europeans during Sebastián de Ocampo's circumnavigation of the island, in 1509. Shortly thereafter, in 1510, the first Spanish colonists arrived from La Hispaniola and thus the Conquest of Cuba began.

Conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar founded Havana on August 25, 1515 on the southern coast of the island, near the present town of Surgidero de Batabanó. Between 1514 and 1519, the city had at least two different establishments. An early map of Cuba drawn up in 1514 places the town in the mouth of the river Onicaxinal, again on the south coast of Cuba. Another establishment was La Chorrera, which is today in the neighbourhood of Puentes Grandes, next to the Almendares River. The last establishment, commemorated by El Templete, was the sixth town founded by the Spanish on the island, called San Cristobal de la Habana by Pánfilo de Narváez: The name combines San Cristóbal, the patron saint of Havana, and Habana, origin obscure, possibly derived from Habaguanex, name of an Indian chief that controlled that area, quoted by Diego Velasquez in his report to the king of Spain. A legend narrates that Habana was the name of Habaguanex's beautiful daughter,[5] but no known historical source corroborates this version.

The City is one of the smallest of the Cuban provinces, but the most populated. Old Havana and its fortifications are protected by UNESCO, there are different architectural styles in the city, from houses of the 17th Century Baroque and Neoclassical style in the Old Havana district to Art Deco style buildings in Vedado, as well many new modern constructions. During the 18th and 19th Century Havana became a flourishing and fashionable city. Havana\'s theaters featured the most distinguished actors of the age, and prosperity amongst the burgeoning middle-class led to expensive new classical mansions being erected, during these period Havana was known as the Paris of the Antilles, many luxury goods including porcelain from Worcester, Meicen and Sevres were imported. Nowdays the capital is the center of the Cuban government, and various ministries are based in the city, as are the headquarters of businesses located in Vedado such as Corporacion Cimex.