Castillo de la Real Fuerza facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids General information |
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| Groundbreaking | 1558 |
| Completed | 1577 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Load bearing |
| Material | Masonry |
The Castillo de la Real Fuerza (which means Castle of the Royal Force) is an old stone fort in Havana, Cuba. It sits on the western side of Havana's harbor, near the Plaza de Armas. This fort was built a long time ago to protect the city from pirates. However, its location was not perfect because it was too far inside the bay.
The Castillo de la Real Fuerza is thought to be the oldest stone fort in all of the Americas. In 1982, it became part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site is called "Old Havana and its Fortifications".
Contents
Building the Fort
A much older fort, called the Fuerza Vieja (Old Fort), was damaged in 1555. This happened during an attack on Havana by a French privateer named Jacques de Sores. The old fort was later taken down in 1582.
In 1558, King Philip II of Spain sent an engineer named Bartolomé Sánchez. Sánchez started working on a new fort, which was first known as the Fuerza Nueva (New Fort). The old fort was set back from the harbor. The new fort was planned to be closer to the water for better defense.
Work on the fort began with ironworks in 1558. But the first stones were not put in place until 1562. Building was slow because local people had to move to make room for the fort. There were also disagreements between Sánchez and the Governor of Havana. The fort was finally finished in 1577. Slaves and French prisoners did most of the hard work.
The fort was built using limestone from the Havana shoreline. It had thick, sloped walls, a deep moat, and a drawbridge. The governor, Francisco Carreño, added an upper floor for soldiers' living areas and a place to store weapons. But once it was done, the fort turned out to be too small for its main purpose.
Even though it was closer to the harbor, the new fort was still too far from the harbor's entrance. This meant it could not defend the city very well. Instead, Juan de Tejeda decided to use it as the home for the Governor of Havana. Later governors made more changes to the building. In 1851, part of the front of the fort was taken down. This allowed O’Reilly Street to reach the docks. It also stopped the fort from blocking the view of El Templete, a monument built in 1828.
Cuba's Defenses and Attacks
For many years, Cuba was often attacked by buccaneers, pirates, and French corsairs. These attackers wanted Spain's riches from the New World. To stop these raids, Spain built stronger defenses across the island in the 1500s.
In Havana, the Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro fort was built. This was meant to keep invaders away. Even famous English privateers like Francis Drake sailed near Havana but did not land.
In 1628, a Dutch fleet led by Piet Heyn attacked. They took Spanish ships from Havana's harbor. This showed that Havana was not strong enough to resist invaders. In 1662, an English pirate named Christopher Myngs captured Santiago de Cuba. He held it for a short time. This was an attempt to open up Cuba's trade with nearby Jamaica.
About a century later, the British Royal Navy tried to invade again. They captured Guantánamo Bay in 1741 during a war with Spain. The British admiral, Edward Vernon, had 4,000 soldiers. But Spanish troops and a sickness forced them to leave.
During the Seven Years' War, which started in 1754, fighting reached the Spanish Caribbean. Spain joined with France, which meant they fought against the British. In 1762, a British force of five warships and 4,000 soldiers left England to capture Cuba. They arrived on June 6. By August, they had Havana surrounded.
When Havana surrendered, the British admiral, George Keppel, became the new governor. He took control of the western part of the island. The British quickly opened up trade with their colonies in North America and the Caribbean. This changed Cuban society very fast.
Havana had become the third-largest city in the Americas. It started to grow and connect more with North America during this time. But the British only held the city for a short time. Sugar merchants in London worried that sugar prices would drop. This led to talks between Spain and Britain about their colonies.
Less than a year after Havana was taken, the Peace of Paris was signed. This treaty ended the Seven Years' War. Britain received Florida from Spain. In return, Spain got Cuba back. France suggested this to Spain. They warned that refusing could make Spain lose Mexico and much of South America to the British. In 1781, General Bernardo de Gálvez of Spain took back Florida with help from troops from Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.
Isabel de Bobadilla, Cuba's First Female Governor
Isabel de Bobadilla (around 1505–1554) was the first female governor of Cuba. She held this important role from 1539 to 1543.
Isabel came from a family deeply involved in exploring and conquering the Americas. Her father, Pedro de Arias, was a conqueror in Central America and governor of Nicaragua. Her mother, Isabel de Bobadilla y Peñalosa, was the niece of Beatriz de Bobadilla. Beatriz was a close friend of Isabella I of Castile. Isabel's family was one of the most powerful and wealthy in Spain. Isabel was also the granddaughter of Francisco de Bobadilla. He was chosen to be the second governor of the Indies after Christopher Columbus in 1499.
Isabel de Bobadilla married Hernando de Soto in 1537. He was a famous explorer and conquistador. He led one of the first European trips into what is now the United States. Isabel was in her late twenties or early thirties when she married. This was a bit older than usual for women from powerful families at that time.
In 1538, Hernando de Soto became the governor of Cuba. He and Isabel arrived in Cuba together. Isabel brought her slaves with her, including three who were white Christians. Soon after arriving, they bought several plantations near Havana. The largest one was at Cojimar, on the coast.
On May 17, 1539, Hernando de Soto left Havana to explore and conquer Florida. He gave Isabel de Bobadilla the power to govern Cuba while he was away. This was a very important and unusual role for a woman in the 16th century. Isabel became the first female governor of Cuba. She was also the first woman governor of a territory in the Western Hemisphere. The King of Spain even sent letters directly to her, recognizing her as governor.
As governor, Isabel handled many problems. These included issues between the native Cubans and the Europeans. She also helped make Cuba stronger against enemies. She pushed forward the building of Havana’s first fortress, La Fuerza. Isabel de Bobadilla finished La Fuerza to protect the city from frequent attacks. However, French pirates led by Jacques de Sores still attacked Havana and burned La Fuerza in 1555.
La Giraldilla: A Symbol of Havana
In 1634, Juan Vitrián de Viamonte added a watchtower to the fort. On top of it, he placed a special weathervane. It was a sculpture of a woman, made by Gerónimo Martín Pinzón, an artist from Havana. This sculpture was based on a famous figure on top of La Giralda in Seville, Spain.
The reason for choosing this figure, called La Giraldilla, is not fully known. But many people believe it honors Isabel de Bobadilla. She was Havana's only female governor. She took control when her husband, Hernando de Soto, left for Florida. The story says she spent many years looking out at the sea. She was waiting for his ship to return, not knowing he had died.
This figure became a symbol of the city of Havana. You can even see it on the label of Havana Club rum. The original statue is now in the City Museum. It is kept in the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales in the Plaza de Armas. The figure you see on the watchtower today is a copy.
The Fort's Many Uses
The Castillo de la Real Fuerza has been used for many different things over the years. From 1899, it was home to the National Archive. From 1938 until 1957, it housed the National Library. Both of these were later moved to a new building.
After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the fort held offices for important groups. These included the National Commission of Monuments. It also had the Centre of Preservation, Restoration, and Museology. For a short time, the fort was a Museum of Arms. But the conditions inside were not good for keeping the displays safe.
In 1977, the fort became a museum again. This was 400 years after it was finished. It showed art from Cuba and other countries. In 1990, it changed to become the National Museum of Cuban Ceramics.
In 2010, the Castillo de la Real Fuerza reopened as Cuba’s maritime museum. This museum shows Cuba’s history with the sea. It covers everything from ancient times to the 1700s. It highlights the Royal Shipyard of Havana. This was one of the biggest shipyards in the world. It built almost 200 ships for the Spanish Crown.
The museum has a huge four-meter model of the Santisima Trinidad. This model is on the main floor. There is also a large touch screen in Spanish, French, and English. It describes what life was like on an 18th-century warship. The original ship was launched in Havana Bay in 1769. It was the largest ship in the world in the 1700s. It had 140 cannons. It was one of four Cuban-built ships at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Downstairs, the museum has old navigation tools. It also displays items found underwater by archaeologists. You can see gold and silver from the colonial era. The museum also keeps the original La Giraldilla weathervane. A copy is on top of the fort's tower. The second floor of the museum has many other models of ships. These ships have links to Cuba. From here, you can also see great views of the harbor and the city.
Images for kids
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Castillo-del-la-Real-Fuerza. By Francisco Calvillo, 1576
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Fortaleza, Havana, circa 1897-1924, photochrom postcard published by the Detroit Photographic Company. Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
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See also
In Spanish: Castillo de la Real Fuerza de La Habana para niños
- List of buildings in Havana
- Treaty of Paris (1763)
- Batería de la de la Reina
- Castillo San Salvador de la Punta
- Santa Clara Battery
- Castillo del Príncipe (Havana)
- Torreón de San Lázaro
- La Cabaña
- Castillo de Atarés
- Timeline of Havana
