Cuba dominates the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico, fixed between the great continents to the north and to the south, and has long served as a bridge between the Old World and the New. First visited by Christopher Columbus in 1492, its history of interaction with the Old World of Europe is among the longest in the Americas, and its architecture bears testament to this: Cuba is home to some of the most ancient cities and towns in the western hemisphere. As a result, the country once known as the pearl of the Antilles, stands now as a treasure chest of alluring historic architecture seasoned by European precedents mixed with colonial and Caribbean spice and boasts an extraordinary number of UNESCO Cultural Heritage sites, from the historic center of Old Havana with its original city walls and the Castillo de la Real Fuerza the oldest extant colonial fortress in the Americas to the sixteenth-century city of Trinidad, within the central Cuban province of Sancti Spiritus, recognized by historians and scholars as a triumph of historic preservation and whose maze of pastel mansions and churches forms one of the best collections of colonial architecture to be found anywhere. From Old Havana to Santiago de Cuba, Old Cuba offers an intimate look at the historic architecture the houses, apartments, monuments, charming public spaces, and centuries-old churches of this storied country.

About the Author
Alicia Garcia is Cuban national and architectural writer and historian who has devoted her career to the study and preservation of Cuban architectural patrimony. She has authored numerous articles and books on Cuban historic architecture, including, as co-author, La Habana: historia yaArquitectura de una ciudad romantic. For her work, she has received numerous awards and accolades, including a grant from the Guggenheim Foundation. Julio A. Larramendi is a well-known Cuban photographer whose work has been widely published.

Reviews
"Since relations between the United States and Cuba Are thawing, the chance to visit this long-forbidden nation is finally becoming a reality. You can start your exploration early on the pages of Old Cuba. Author Alicia Garcia was born there and has dedicated her life to the preservation of her country's culture. The imagery of its proud-yet-weathered architectural heritage is provided by Julio A. Larramendi, an accomplished photographer featured in numerous books and exhibits. The combination of her words and his pictures puts the island nation at your fingertips."
-Metrosource NY

"Sites like the magnificent cathedral of Old Havana and the plantation homes of Pinar del Rio showcase the island's splendid Colonial-era architecture in this new book."
-Fathom



Book Information
ISBN 9780847858477
Author Alicia E. Garcia
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Rizzoli International Publications
Publisher Rizzoli International Publications
Weight(grams) 1281g
Dimensions(mm) 262mm * 239mm * 23mm