El Torreón de San Lázaro is

round tower A fortified tower (also defensive tower or castle tower or, in context, just tower) is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications, such as castles, along with curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and ful ...

of masonry built on the shore of the Caleta de San Lazaro. The Torreón de San Lázaro is approximately in diameter and high with

embrasure An embrasure (or crenel or crenelle; sometimes called gunhole in the domain of gunpowder-era architecture) is the opening in a battlement between two raised solid portions (merlons). Alternatively, an embrasure can be a space hollowed out ...

s along its wall at the intermediate level and a

battlement A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at interva ...

parapet at the third level roof. It has a wooden entry door at ground level. With the passage of time, the San Lazaro cove was filled and the tower was included in a Republican-era park named after Major General Antonio Maceo. In an 1853 map of Havana it is shown as the Torreón de Vijias (lookouts). In 1982, the Torreón was inscribed along with other historic sites in

Old Havana Old Havana ( es, link=no, La Habana Vieja) is the city-center (downtown) and one of the 15 municipalities (or boroughs) forming Havana, Cuba. It has the second highest population density in the city and contains the core of the original city of ...

on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...

, because of the city's importance in the European conquest of the New World and its unique architecture.

History

From this fortification a lookout could warn military forces by way of torches of threats of attack by corsairs and

pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

. In this regard, it served as a link in the defense chain between the Batería de la Reina, La Punta, and the

Santa Clara Battery The Santa Clara Battery, with its two remaining coastal guns, one a caliber 305mm (12") Ordóñez HSE Modelo 1892 rifle and the other a 280mm (11") Krupp, stands on the grounds of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, in Vedado, Havana. UNESCO in 1982 includ ...

located at the site of today's

Hotel Nacional "Hotel Nacional" ("National Hotel") is a song by Cuban-American recording artist Gloria Estefan. It was released as the second single from her studio album '' Miss Little Havana'' (2011). Written by Estefan, the song portrays the need to dance, g ...

Gallery

File:Batería de la de la Reina, Havana, Cuba.jpg, Batería de la de la Reina File:Partial Map of Habana 1866 showing canteras in the Barrio de San Lázaro. Havana, Cuba.jpg, Map of Habana 1866 File:Hospital San Lazaro 3. Havana, Cuba.jpg, Hospital de San Lázaro, founded in 1781, showing Caleta de San Lazaro

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torreón de San Lázaro Buildings and structures in Havana History of Havana Spanish colonization of the Americas 19th century in Havana Buildings and structures completed in 1781 Coastal fortifications Spanish colonial fortifications in Cuba Fortifications of Havana Artillery batteries Architecture in Havana

History

Gallery

See also

References