Castillo San Salvador de la Punta

At first glance, the Castillo de San Salvador de La Punta might seem familiar, and that’s no coincidence. Havana’s four colonial forts were all built in a similar style, and three of them, including this one, feature on the city’s coat of arms. These forts were Cuba’s first defensive structures, ordered by the Spanish King in the 16th century to protect the island. Its position on the edge of the bay made it easy to spot incoming threats — which were common during colonial times. Each night, a 250-meter chain was stretched across the water between this fort and El Morro, blocking the harbour and keeping enemy ships out. Despite these efforts, Havana was captured by the British in 1762. Over the years, the fort has served many uses — as a cattle shed, then as naval headquarters in 1902. Today, it’s a museum with paid exhibitions exploring 400 years of Havana’s maritime and slave trade history.