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Venues: Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña |
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"Whoever is ruler of this hill will also be that
of Cuba," the fortress master builder Bautista Antonelli, architect
of the Castillo del Morro, is supposed to have said already in the 16th
century about the strategic location on the left shoreline of the entrance
to the harbor. Just how right he was became apparent when the English
troops captured the Morro from here in 1762.
In November of 1763, a few months after the English's withdrawal (see Morro),
the construction of the fortress began, which was completed in 1774
and named for the Spanish king Carlos III. During the 19th/20th century,
La Cabaña continued to serve as a garrison and prison. After
its capture by the rebellion army in December of 1958, it was the headquarters
of Ché Guevara for a while.
Today the fortress, together with the Morro, is part of the "Parque
Histórico-Militar Morro-Cabaña" (military-historic
park) and houses a collection of old weapons. Soldiers in historic uniforms
parade for tourists. Every evening at 9:00 p.m. the "Cañonazo",
a canon shot, sounds from La Cabaña which in earlier times signaled
the closing of Havana's city gates.
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