Havana celebrates its 503rd Anniversary

Cuba’s capital, Havana, captures the timeless charm of colonial plazas, Neoclassical and Art Deco buildings, and Cuba’s signature vintage cars. As Havana city celebrates its 503^rd anniversary on the 16^th of November, visitors can be prepared for a dazzling event. Havana’s locals know a thing or two about celebrating special occasions as the city hosts dozens of festivals each year.

Havana’s anniversary celebrations

Like every year, the celebration in 2022 will be an array of special events all month, including music, sporting events, and dance performances.

For instance, the Marabana marathon took place through the streets of Havana in November 2019, followed by a presentation of food and arts and the St Petersburg Ballet at the National Theatre. The official 500^th-anniversary celebration was broadcasted on national TV with big screens placed along the famous Malecón, Havana’s waterfront promenade, while music performances took place all over the city. The night of November 16^th ended with fireworks and a party until dawn.

The celebration event took place in 2020 and 2021 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and according to all the necessary sanitary measures. The traditional tour around the site of El Templete in Old Havana was reintroduced last year since this was the place where the city was founded. The special installation of lights in Galiano Street that was created for the 500^th anniversary in 2019 and represented the constellation of the Milky Way was again another attraction in 2021. The official program ended at the Karl Marx Theatre with the usual artistic gala.

Havana’s Early History

Did you know that Havana was not the first city to be named the capital of Cuba? The current capital was founded on the 16th of November 1519, after Baracoa in 1511 and Santiago in 1515. In the beginning, the city was called San Cristóbal de la Habana after the patron saint of the place. King Philip II of Spain granted Havana the title of City in 1592.

Throughout centuries, Havana was targeted by pirates and foreign invaders, only to become a flourishing and fashionable city due to successful trade. After Spanish domination ended in the 19^th century, Cuba was established as a republic. In the first half of the 20^th century, Havana was referred to as the Paris of the Caribbean.

The revolutionary History of Havana

The armed uprising led by Fidel Castro, the Cuban Revolution, changed everything in 1959. This was the time when the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista was toppled. The revolution began in 1953, ending with Batista fleeing the country on January 1, 1959. Castro’s 26^th of July Movement was later transformed into the Communist Party of Cuba.

The place where all the great public events took place throughout Castro’s rule is called the Square of the Revolution, with the installation of Ernesto Che Guevara’s face on the façade of the Interior Ministry building.

Visiting Havana

There are a lot of places to see in Havana regardless of the anniversary celebration. Its mixture of architectural styles, lovely climate, and locals always ready to socialise are things that allure visitors from all over the world.

Old Havana — Habana Vieja

Havana celebrates its 503rd Anniversary

Old Havana is the core of the original city of Havana. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1982.

The city was founded by the Spanish in 1519 in the natural harbour of Havana Bay. This later became the main shipbuilding centre. Old Havana’s narrow streets and baroque and neoclassical style buildings adorn this part of the city, making this one of the best-known attractions of Cuba.

The first fortress built here in the 16^th century was Castillo de la Real Fuerza. The construction can still be seen. Tourists often say that Old Havana resembles Cadiz or Seville.

Other places to visit in Old Havana are Catedral de San Cristóbal, Castillo del Morro, Plaza de Armas with Palacio de los Capitanes and the City Museum, Plaza Vieja, Fuente de los Leones fountain, and many more.

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Havana celebrates its 503rd Anniversary

Some of the best views of Havana and the sea can be seen from the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. This 1930s building is designed by the New York architecture company and financed by the National City Bank of New York. It represents a mixture of styles that are woven into Cuban tradition like Andalusian, Moorish, and Art Deco.

The hotel hosted the Havana Conference, a mob summit run by Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano that was depicted in The Godfather Part II movie.

Many celebrities and important figures were guests here – Winston Churchill, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Frank Sinatra, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir, to name a few.

El Tropicana nightclub

Havana celebrates its 503rd Anniversary

The famous El Tropicana nightclub opened on December 30, 1939. Nat King Cole performed at the grand opening amid Tropicana’s lavish greenery. (Its majestic gardens consist of Royal Palms, Mango trees, Cedar, etc.) It began as a casino and nightclub where celebrities like Marlon Brando could be encountered.

After decades have passed and the club changed due to political and economic circumstances, it remained the emblematic place for Cuba that attracts tourists. Flashy shows and cabarets now show off Cuban culture, its music, and dance that are popular worldwide.

Even though it was considered a bold structure built for at least 300 visitors, El Tropicana is now one of the most popular tourism venues. The American Academy of Restaurant Industry honoured El Tropicana in 1992 with an award for the best cabaret in the Americas.

Final Thoughts

Havana’s 503rd anniversary is just another reason to celebrate the vibrant culture of Cuba’s capital. What better way to find out more about this city than to visit Havana and take part in its events while taking in the beautiful architecture?

Havana celebrates its 503rd Anniversary