Monday 19 February 2007

el Morro Castle, Havana


This decorative plate was presented to me when the second Clipper race visited Marina Hemingway, just to the west of Havana, in December 1998.

Our hosts in Cuba were The Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba with the ever cheerful Commodore, José Miguel Díaz Escrich. José is still very much in evidence and continues to encourage yachtsmen from all nations to visit his marina.

The plate shows el Morro Castle which dominates the eastern entrance to Havana harbour. It was built by Juan Bautista Antonelli, an Italian engineer in 1589 when Cuba was under the control of Spain.

Built in response to raids on Havana harbour, el Morro protected the mouth of the harbour with a chain being strung out across the to the fort at La Punta. It first saw action in 1762 when Lord Albemarle landed in Cojimar and attacked the fort from its rear. It fell because the English could command the high ground so when they had handed the island back to the Spanish the fort at La Cabaña was built to prevent this happening again.

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