La real fuersa. La Fuerza The history of the creation of the fortress of La Fuerza

Havana is able to surprise curious tourists with a variety of various attractions and architectural monuments. Among them, the fortress de la Real Fuersa stands out, which has survived to our time. The unique fortress de la Real Fuersa in Havana is the oldest defensive structure not only in Cuba, but in all countries of Latin America.

Fortress history

The idea of \u200b\u200bbuilding a fortress de la Real Fuersa appeared in 1540. Previously, there was a fortress Fuersa Vieja, which was captured and destroyed by pirates. In this regard, there was an urgent need for the construction of new defensive fortifications in this place. The solution to this issue was approached thoroughly and deliberately. For these purposes, in 1558, a world-famous architect was invited - Bartolomeo Sanchez.
But, despite the fact that Havana was in dire need of a "stone defender", the necessary defensive structure appeared only after many years. For more than ten years, the city authorities were arguing about what the fortress should be like. A new engineer, Francisco Carreño, was hired, under whose leadership things went much faster. The fortress was built by black slaves; significant funds were invested in the construction.
And ten years later, the locals saw the massive fortress de la Real Fuersa. 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 for a long time served as a model for the construction of military buildings of this type.

The modern look of the fortress

The fortress de la Real Fuersa in Havana surprises many tourists with its power and severity. The strong ten-meter walls of the castle are six meters thick. They were built from limestone quarried in Cuba. Its dimensions are impressive. No wonder the main task of the fortress is to protect the city from attacks from the sea.
Exact symmetry was taken into account when building the fortress. This defensive structure is presented in the form of a square, which is divided into nine identical parts and four bastions are installed at the corners. The perfect symmetry of the building is taken from the Italian and French architecture of the 16th century.
Inside the fortress de la Real Fuersa are spacious basements where ammunition was stored. Huge hiding places were also laid here, where the city authorities hid wealth brought from Spain - huge reserves of jewelry: gold, silver and other treasures.
A wide moat was dug around the fortress and filled with water. The road to the fortress led along two wooden bridges, which were fastened on powerful chains. One could observe the surroundings through narrow loopholes carved into the walls.

New life of the fortress

Nowadays, the fortress de la Real Fuersa is a historical architectural monument of Havana, the oldest building in Latin America. The weather vane of the fortress de la Real Fuersa became a symbol of Havana, and the fortress itself became its decoration.
Today, the fortress houses an art museum, which houses unique works of local artists. It should be noted that La Fuersa fortress in Havana is a great place for walking 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 distant sea voyages. While children are playing, adults have a great opportunity from the height of this architectural monument of Havana to enjoy the beauty of the magnificent sea.

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

One of these fortresses is La Real Fuersa, which was founded 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 from the side of the sea. All this time, it was endlessly fortified, rebuilt and modernized, increasing its defensive power.

The citadel was built by slaves and prisoners of war. It took about 19 years to create it, and the building did not at all resemble an architectural masterpiece. But the square fortress had high strong walls, numerous loopholes, from which fire was fired, corner bastions, and for its inaccessibility, not only was it fenced off with a deep moat, it was not equipped with stairs. Absolutely. The garrison used ropes. The marble coat of arms of the city was solemnly installed above the entrance - you can admire it today.

In the 17th century, La Real Fuersa received an unusual decoration - a two-story tower was completed on one of the bastions, on the roof of which 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 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 by the British in the 18th century. Then he was found, not otherwise than by a miracle, but out of harm's way was sent to the city museum.

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

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

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

The history of the creation of the fortress of La Fuersa

Not far from the center of Havana is the city's oldest fortress: La Fuerza. From Plaza de Armas, you can walk to it in a few minutes. The path along the San Pedro promenade (from the train station) is longer. Founded in 1558, it is considered the oldest port fortification in South and North America. Once Real Fuersa protected Havana from pirate raids. It is perfectly preserved and now houses the expositions of the Maritime Museum.
During 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 secured from pirate ships that swarmed the Caribbean. This made it necessary to strengthen defensive structures, to build new towers. For more than two hundred years, La Fuerza was rebuilt, justifying its full name "Castle of the King's Power" or "Castillo de la Real Fuerza".
In the first nineteen years, walls were erected from local sandstone with towers at the corners, surrounded by a deep moat. The construction involved the labor of captured French sailors and slaves brought from Africa. The fortress seemed impregnable - the walls 10 meters high could only be climbed by rope ladders from the inside. The four-meter thickness was impossible to break through with cannonballs. Even the ventilation holes were made safe - they were given a cone-shaped shape, the narrow end went into the inside of the fortress, and the wide one towards the sea. This design improved the movement of air and did not allow penetration inside. Nearby was the house of the Spanish governor.
Since those years, a coat of arms carved from a marble slab has been preserved over the entrance arch. Later, at the beginning of the 17th century, the corner bastion was supplemented with a two-story small tower. There is a weather vane on the roof - a female figurine made of bronze. It is called La Giraldilla and is considered a symbol of Old Havana. A legend has been created about her - supposedly the model was the wife of the governor de Soto - Ines (or Isabel) de Bobadilla. She had to replace her husband, the governor, who left the city for several years. For the entire existence of Havana, she was the only woman who ruled 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 the old model. The image of the bronze heroine adorns the labels of the famous "Havana Club" - Cuban rum with a hundred-year history.

History of the creation of the maritime museum

When the defensive significance of la Fuerza lost its importance, it was transferred to the National Archives. He stayed there until 1899. In 1938, the National Library was housed there. After the revolution, the old building was empty for several years. And on the four hundredth anniversary (at the end of the seventies), the expositions of the Museum of Modern Art are placed there. From 1990 to 2010, the premises housed the Museum of Ceramics, after which they were transferred to the Maritime Museum. It has 5 halls - the central one, the largest one and in all the bastions.
The exposition includes exhibits related to the history of navigation before Columbus's voyage, the history of the Royal Havana Shipyard. During its existence, more than two hundred different ships came out of there, mainly for the navy. One of the most interesting exhibits is considered a small copy of the Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad, a ship launched in 1769 in the city's harbor. At one time, he was the largest of the warships. On a four-meter vessel, you can visit the holds and cabins. In addition to real navigational devices that served the sailors of those years, visitors will see numerous items found at the bottom of the sea.
Models of ships are on display, from Aboriginal dugout boats and reed boats to sailing ships and steamers of later eras. The collections of cold and firearms, military uniforms and awards are no less interesting. Two halls contain gold from pirate treasures and raised from the bottom of the sea. Taking pictures is allowed only in one room (with dummies). La Fuerza appeared on the World Heritage List in 1982.

Which is one of the most interesting military museums in Havana.

I already wrote that I am not a tourist who buys package tours and travels as part of excursion groups. I usually hire a local guide and this allows me to spend more time sightseeing and allows me to adjust the places you want to visit. This is definitely better than spinning a map in your hands or swearing because of GPS glitches, and it also completely eliminates the negative from the poor quality of the cafe and helps to overcome the cultural barrier.

In all my travels since 2008, I always hire a guide and have never been disappointed. You can always find a Russian-speaking guide if you do not speak foreign languages. Then you study the country from the inside.

General information about the museum.

• Name:Museo Castillo de la Real Fuerza.
• The address:

O "Reilly, La Habana, Cuba

• Opening hours:09.30-17.00.
• Ticket price:2 Cuban pesos (approximately two US dollars).

Finding this museum is not difficult, but if you are without a guide, I recommend taking a taxi there.

Entrance to the Castillo de la Real Fuerza Museum

La Real Fuersa is a fortress in the eastern harbor of Havana, founded in 1577. It was originally intended to protect against pirate attacks. La Real Fuersa is the oldest stone fortress in America and is a World Heritage Site as part of Old Havana.

All museums in Cuba are under the supervision of the state, so everything is clean here and everything looks no worse than similar castles-museums in Portugal or Spain.

Here are the guns that defended Havana from various misfortunes. If you know history, it was pirates and other states who wanted to annex Cuba.

In general, Cuba is an amazing country due to the way the majestic buildings of Spanish architecture are combined with the simple buildings of ordinary people. This contrast is visible by which you can see the economic situation in Cuba.

The state of the historical sites under the open sky is perfect. Although with such humidity, I am surprised at such an ideal state of the exhibits.

This is the statue that has become the symbol of rum in Cuba and can be seen on the Havana Club rum label.

The statue of this woman adorns the watchtower of the fortress la Real Fuerza (Royal Power) in the eastern part of Havana, founded in 1577.

If you enlarge the photo, you can see a statue of this woman, which represents loyalty.

It is believed that the statue was erected in honor of Ines de Bobadilla), the first and, it seems, the only woman who was the governor of this island.

Ines came from a very wealthy and noble Spanish family, related to kings. Her father was the governor of Nicaragua.

In 1535 she married the then famous conquistador Hernando de Soto. An interesting fact is that at the time of the wedding, Ines was about thirty years old. A very late age of marriage for a girl from a noble family, where women were mainly seen as a way of cementing relationships between families. I must say that Hernando, despite his exploits in the New World, was no equal for Ines, he came from a noble but poor family.

In general, the story ended sadly, and this woman now personifies loyalty to traditions and foundations. The tradition of rum production is still preserved in Cuba, as it is a matter of national pride.

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

This is not a Chelsea owner's mini boat ...

I read the signs on this ship and was surprised how many companies sponsored the creation of this model. It is made of very valuable and rare wood species, which means it is made for centuries.

The museum contains many artifacts that were raised from the ocean depths. There is no Jacques Yves Cousteau in Cuba and in reality there is practically no special equipment, so everyone here was raised risking their lives for the sake of history ...

And here are the typical plates that remind me of majolica. In principle, it is logical, since everything here was imported from Spain and it is amazing that it has been so well preserved, although it has spent not a single hundred years at the bottom of the ocean.

An entire hall is dedicated to what was raised from the depths of the sea.

But the most interesting thing is that a divine view of Havana opens from the roof of the fortress.

This is me on the roof of the fortress Castillo de la Real Fuerzaand it was very windy.

My conclusions after visiting the museum.

Worth a visit for general development and understanding of Cuba's historical value.

My reviews for other places in the world.

Thank you for your attention and happy beaches!

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 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the oldest fortification 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 Fuersa 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 solid walls remind of the difficult life of the Cuban population, its resilience and strength.

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

The history of the construction of the fortress

The full name of the citadel sounds like Castillo de la Real Fuersa, which translates as "the castle of a strong king." The first version of the fortress took 19 years to build. At that time, it was in the shape of a square with towers at the corners made of hewn sandstone blocks, and was surrounded by a moat. The walls reached 10 m in height, 4 m in width, and above the entrance there was a relief coat of arms, which is currently the oldest sculptural statue in the city. The 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, but also the indigenous people were hiding. In the 16th century, King Philip II ordered the restoration of the La Real Fuersa fort. During the construction work, unique engineering solutions were applied, for example, special ducts were made here to ensure constant air circulation.

Over time, the appearance of the fortress of La Real Fuersa has changed several times. The most significant event took place in the 17th century, when a two-story tower with a weather vane in the shape of a girl, La Giraldilla, was erected over one of the bastions. She was the faithful wife of Governor Hernando do 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 its original place.

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

• National Archives - late 19th century;
• National Library - from 1938 to the beginning 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 still works.

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

Today, an interactive screen is installed on it, introducing 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 guns of various sizes and unusual sculptures created by contemporary Cuban craftsmen.

What you need to know about visiting the fort?

Fortress La Real Fuersa is open every day from 09:30 to 18:30, on Sunday visitors are allowed until 12:30. The admission fee 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 / Malecon / Tunel de La Habana. The distance is approximately 4 km.