Old City Wall

At the southern end of Av de Bélgica, close to the train station, lies the longest remaining stretch of the old city wall. The wall, which was designed to deter attacks from pirates and buccaneers, was begun in 1674 and took over 60 years to build. On its completion, it measured 1.5m thick, 10m high and 5km long. A bronze map at the remnants of the wall shows the outline of the original layout. Among the defenses erected along its course were nine bastions and some 180 big guns aimed toward the sea. The only way in and out of the city from 1740 until the demolition of the wall began on August 8, 1863, was through 11 highly guarded gates that closed every night and opened every morning at the sound of a solitary gunshot. Many of the stones used to pave Habana’s streets and construct the city’s buildings were pulled from the monstrous wall, much of which still stood five decades after its demolition began.