Cuba, an important tourist destination in the Caribbean, supports its tourist expansion on the natural and patrimonial treasures of the archipelago, with a rich history in every corner of the national territory.

Architecture, customs, traditions and culture are combined in this direction, aiming at the design of tourist options that meet the expectations of thousands of visitors each year.

According to specialists, the privileged geographic location of the island has contributed to this situation since it is located in the center of the Caribbean and, in the center of the most important marine routes that led to the construction of a wide defensive infrastructure.

All said brought about a royal order to build a fortification system capable of protecting the crown goods and dissuading attackers from invading the island, specially its capital city.

In this environment the Fort of Santa Dorotea de la Luna de la Chorrera, better known as Torreón de la Chorrera and founded in 1646, stands out.

The fort was designed by Juan Bautista Antonelli, a descendant of the architect and constructor of the El Morro and La Punta fortresses, and was built to confront the dangers of possible attacks by the Netherlanders to Havana.

The original structure was circular with 80 square feet, 40 meters high and drawbridges instead of stairs; it also included warehouses and barracks that could accommodate 50 men.

It was equipped with 11 artillery pieces and received its baptism of fire in 1762 fighting against the English who succeeded in breaking its defenses.

The already rebuilt fort was again subject to an attack by the American squad in 1898.

Nowadays, the fort is an ideal place to enjoy light meals in perfect harmony with a landscape that shows where the waters from the Almendares River and the Gulf meet.

La Chorrera is part of the system led by El Morro, a Renaissance construction raised on an irregular area and with three powerful bulwarks that defended the bay, the entrance to the port and the city. Later on, the fortress was complemented with another one, La Cabaña.

Likewise, towards 1740 the famous city walls were raised and, after that, the simple habit of warning with an artillery shot that the nine wall gates were going to be closed, became a tradition that is currently observed.

In the eastern area of the country, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, the first capital of Cuba from 1515 to 1607, the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca –also known as the Santiago de Cuba’s Morro– was built in order to compose a defensive system but, of minimal impact since the construction took dozens of years to be finished.

Meanwhile, in the central province of Matanzas the Castillo de San Severino stands out; it is the oldest construction in the territory and it housed the command headquarters of the city’s defense system.