History of Havana

Establishment of Havana

Cuba’s capital and the country’s medical tourism center, Havana, was founded on August 25, 1515 by the Spanish conquistador Diego Velasquez.  The initial location of the town was near present day Batabanó in the south.  But this location was deemed unsuitable because of the poor climate, swampy conditions, and scores of mosquitoes.  The town was then shifted to another location in the north in 1519.  The splendid harbor placed the town at a great advantage, and settlers began to pour in.  The Spanish were quick to recognize Havana’s growing strategic importance, and they transferred their capital here from Santiago de Cuba in 1553.

British Occupation

Havana’s location also made it a prime target for English, Dutch, and French invaders in the 16^th century.  These continued well into the seventeenth century, and several forts and ramifications were built to protect the harbor from the marauding foreign forces.  Even with the presence of these forts, the British took control of the city in 1762.  They only relinquished control of Havana to Spain at the end of the Seven Years’ War.

The British occupation of Havana actually turned out to be a "commercial" blessing because it stimulated trade between the city and Europe.  It led to the influx of non-Spanish immigrants into Havana.  During this period, craftsmen, engineers, architects, teachers, and others from France, Germany, and England chose to settle down in Havana.  These immigrants lent to the city their unique cultural influences, helping to make Havana the vibrant city that we know today.

American Relations

After Cuba gained independence from Spain in 1898, the country forged close strategic and economic ties with the US.  Several American businesses set up office here, and Havana during this period, flourished as a sister city of Miami, New York, or Boston.

The camaraderie between the Cubans and Americans ended with the Revolution of 1959 led by Fidel Castro, and the country forged an alliance with Soviet Russia.  Havana began to shed its American character, and soon resembled the Soviet bloc capital that it now was.  Many of the buildings began to disintegrate as the Castro regime funneled precious funds to the interiors of Cuba. 

Cuba Today

With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ensuing economic crisis that griped Cuba, the government was forced to relax some of its restrictions, especially on the tourism industry.  In recent years, the country has made great inroads into the medical tourism arena, with an eye on the burgeoning market for affordable healthcare in the US.  Cuba’s proximity to the US also makes the country, and Havana in particular, attractive to medical tourism patients who need health care of "socialist" prices and "capitalist" quality.

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