Chinatown
Several readers have asked me to expand on the different neighborhoods in Havana, which I mention in nearly every article.
Without going too far into it, I’ll say that a neighborhood can be identified by economic, social, or topographical factors, and which engenders in its residents a strong sens of community and of belonging.
Architecture of Havana
I ended the previous article on Havana architecture touching on the lasting American influence in the city, evident in the Central Train Station, the Hotel Sevilla Baltimore, or the offices of The National City Bank of New York, just to name a few.
El Vedado, Havana
When visitors first arrive in Cuba, they often notice the great contrasts in the city. Old Havana is marked by Spanish colonial architecture, while the more modern parts of the city were greatly influenced by the American presence on the island at the end of the 19th century.
Bacardí building.
The Bacardí building, a very unique, 8 story building, is located at calle Monserrate # 261 between San Juan de Dios and Empedrado in old Havana. It’s an Art Deco structure, begun in 1925 as the headquarters of Bacardí Rum. The company was founded in Santiago, Cuba in 1862 by the Catalan immigrant Don Facundo Bacardí Massó. It was designed by the architects Esteban Rodríguez Castells, Rafael Fernández Ruenes and José Menéndez.
