Cuba – Five Hundred Years of Images –

“… Throughout the ensuing five hundred years, countless visitors and settlers have been captivated by Cuba’s beauty. Spain began to colonize it in 1511 and by the eighteenth century the island had become one of the most important components of the vast Spanish empire. It attracted large numbers of European merchants and adventurers, and its prosperity soon made it the target of pirate attacks.
Cuba’s wealth made possible the construction of many large and ambitious buildings, which, by ingeniously adapting European architectural principles to fit the needs of the New World, constitute the foundation of a new and truly American building style. The design of Cuban cities was similarly innovative and offers one of the earliest examples of methodical urban planning.
This glorious artistic legacy serves as a rich visual background to Cuba Five Hundred Years of Images. Using historical documents as well as recent photographs, this book weaves together the fascinating strands that make up Cuba’s history with equally fascinating views of her splendid past.”