Restaurant "Divina Pastora", Havana City, Cuba.
Due to the constant threat of pirates, or fearing an attack by other colonial powers such as Great Britian or France, at the beginning of the 16th century, Spain decided to severely garrison Cuba, with an efficient defense system in Havana, especially of its main maritime access point. The Italian engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli lead this mission, and this led to construction of the Castle of the Three Kings of the Hill between 1589 and 1630. This well-known Cuban fortress extends along the high banks of the entry canal to Havana.
One of its main offensive elements was the batteries of cannons along the fortress, which were placed there after occupation by English forces in 1762, when the city’s vulnerability became apparent. The strategic position of these weapons allowed them to defend the city and its port.
Below the fortress and along the wall that faced the bay were the most powerful batteries of the fortification: Sol (with 12 cannons), the 12 Apostles (with 12 to 36) and the Divine Shepherdess, or Divina Pastora, with 14 artillery pieces.
Many of these cannons, made in Barcelona in the 18th century, can be toured, and today they symbolically guard the city, proudly displaying their shields in bas-relief, each with its name carved in ancient metal.
Cool music and pleasent atmosphere at the Restaurant "Divina Pastora", Havana City, Cuba.
The restaurant La Divina Pastora is in the same location as the battery of the same name, at the foot of the fortress and beside the Castle of the Hill. In the past the cannons had a perfect location, and today, from the tables or the bar, there is an unparalleled view of the city, especially from the terrace, which is much nicer than the interior.
The internationally-themed menu features seafood, with a lovely presentation for fish and seafood dishes, while the wine list, while not extensive, is sufficient. Visiting the Divina Pastora will create direct contact with history and legends, evoking distant times, as well as allowing you to enjoy the ocean at your feet, living the past in the present.
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