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.
The Havana aristocracy was located in the old section of town, while the poor lived in the city walls. The strict geometry of the palaces on one side, and the unorganized sprawl on the other, is evident. Tourists often notice this marked difference, and often search for a reason why the city is divided this way; you can trace the progress of the expansion and change in the planning of the city, along with the Royal Zone, excavated in the 16th century for water supply, and later substituted by the Albear aqueduct. You can also see the spread of housing developments along rail lines.
In the middle of the 19th century, Chinatown emerged in Havana, in the area marked by Zanja, Dragones, San Nicolas and Rayo streets, which of course had its own architectural style. The buildings built in the rest of the city at this time were mostly neoclassical and baroque, which adhered strictly to the Spanish style of the day.
The growing American presence on the island at the beginning of the 19th century, and especially during the Spanish-American War (1898-1902), resulted in visible changes in the city. Parks, avenues, and buildings sprung up, and the Central Train Station was built. The streets were paved, a trolley car line was built, and the city sewer system was improved on. A lot of metal structures were used, and techniques like fortified concrete and crown molding were employed as well.
Private capital contributed to the rapid development of the outskirts of the city, and as the Cuban arquitect Joaquin Weiss wrote, "The young republic wanted to flaunt its new galas and showed off all signs of its historic past."
This was all possible because there were two parallel sources of urban development: the government, and civil society. The government funded projects such as the Presidential Palace, the University of Havana, the Capitol, and the Central Highway. Civil society was responsible for developing the areas of El Vedado, Miramar and Marianao, and the Bacardi Building. Historians note that there were hundred of focal points for urban building, while the impetus for construction from private enterprise was real. During the period of "the dance of millions", it is said that 10 buildings were built a day.
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