Centro Habana
Location of Playa
Centro Habana (Spanish for Havana- center) is a municipality in the rank of Municipalities in the Cuban capital of Havana Province and. It is located in the central north of the capital.
Geographical Location and political structure
Centro Habana is bordered to the north by the Straits of Florida, the south by the district of Cerro, on the west by Plaza de la Revolución and on the east by the Old Havana, Habana Vieja. The name Centro is not only an indicator of its location in the heart of the city. The municipality also provides a link between the historic old town Habana Viejas and modernity, as represented, for example belonging to the Plaza Vedado.
Along with Habana Vieja is the traditional center of Havana Centro. It has an area of 3.5 km ², which is approximately one percent of the total area of the province of Havana. There is no agricultural land here.
Centro Habana is divided into five smaller administrative units called councils populares divided: Cayo Hueso, Dragones, Los sitios, Colon and Pueblo Nuevo.
Demography
Centro Habana has 140 234 inhabitants on 3.42 square kilometers, which corresponds to a population density of approximately 41 004 inhabitants per square kilometer ( Census 2012). This municipality is thus the most densely populated Havana.
History
As far as known, there were the first settlements in this area at the beginning of colonization, together with the founding of the settlement Villa de San Cristóbal de La Habana, from which the present-day Havana grew. In addition, there was before the founding of this settlement beginning of the 16th century in this area probably smaller groups of Indian natives.
The expansion into the environment of the Villa de San Cristóbal de la Habana in the form of rural and urban villas began in the mid to late 18th century with the reign of the British and the resulting economic liberalization took place on the island of Cuba. This caused some neighborhoods that still within the city walls were located along a paved road through the Puerta de Reina ( Königinnentor ) from the city wall until Belascoain, still a street in Havana, spread. With the new ability of local industry to produce crops and also to export, the population could now build better and more permanent homes, where, however, the different social rank was expressed. The poorer population began in the present-day Guadalupe Barrios and Jesús María to settle south of the former city fortifications. Furthermore, the paths to the fertile land outside of Havana were settled Calzada de Monte (now 10 de octubre - Street of October 10 ), in a southwesterly direction, which later in the amount of Tejas (Texas ) in a southerly direction through the Calzada de Jesús del Monte (now 10 de octubre ) and splits in a westerly direction in the Calzada del Cerro. The latter provided on the Calzada de Puentes Grandes with the Calzada Real de Marianao a connection to the present province of Pinar del Río on the nowadays famous Tabankanbaugebiet Vuelta Abajo, many small villages then that were accessible via day's ride on horseback and a better development and connection between the production areas and factories in Havana allowed.
Among the first Barrios outside the city walls at the end of the 18th century include Peñalver, San Nicolás, Chávez, La Punta, Monserrate and Dragones. 1818 a standardization of urban development, which demanded a straight style as well as right-angle intersection of the roads.
These changes have focused not only in larger buildings, but in a plan for the construction of main and secondary roads and also an ambitious program to increase value 1827-1840 included. This mainly concerned the Paseo de Isabel II ( later known as the Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Martí later than ), the Paseo de Tacón (later Carlos III, today Avenida Salvador Allende ). The Tancon extended in a large West-East axis for Reina, which would allow the troops stationed at the Castillo del Príncipe a quick walkthrough in case of disturbances in the capital.
Furthermore, been a proliferation of representative opportunities for walks and marches. In addition, we fortified the streets and built theaters, hotels, cafes and shops. Thus, the center of Havana from the port shifted in the zone, which today includes the Paseo del Prado, the Parque Central and Parque de la Fraternidad, city walls leaving behind, which were militarily obsolete and were demolished in 1863 because it is now a obstacle to the expansion of the city and the intensification of traffic was.
To the end of the 19th century Chinese immigrants settled in the area around Calle Zanja and Calle de los Dragones (Street of dragons). It emerged from 1874 a wide variety of companies, such as shops, inns, laundries, etc. They came according to official sources, the majority from the province of Guangdong ( Canton), where there was at that time an increased political and religious persecution. Overall, well settled more than 150,000 Chinese in the Cuban archipelago.
The Chinese community in Cuba at times developed into one of the prospering and most important of all America. Its members united in country team result, professional and business associations. Some of them there even today. While the Chinese and their descendants is strewn around the Cuban archipelago, the Chinatown of Havana had established himself as the first Chinese settlement in Cuba.
With the victory of the revolution and the subsequent nationalization and expropriation without compensation of the district degenerated rapidly. The 250,000 Chinese who up to that time still lived there were displaced until the Barrio Chino was only a shadow of itself. Despite the efforts of the restorers of Havana, the Barrio of rehabilitating, missing its original inhabitants.
With the administrative reform in 1976, the five old suburbs of Havana, Colón, Dragones, Cayo Hueso, Pueblo Nuevo and Los sitios were united into one municipality.
Economy
The economy of Centro Habana consists largely of trade, services, tourism, light industry, such as the production of textiles, hygiene products, cigars, beverage concentrates and alcoholic and soft drinks.
In the field of Municipalities are among others, the cigar factories " José Martí ", " Carlos Baliño " and " Antonio Briones Montoto ". It is also home the national headquarters of the Central Union CTC, the Ministerio de la Industria básica (Ministry of Basic Industry, MINBAS ), the Cuban telecommunications company ETECSA, Radio Habana Cuba and Radio Progreso.
Health
In Centro Habana there are two major hospitals. One is the " Hermanos Ameijeiras ", commissioned in 1982, where they performed the first heart transplant in Cuba. The second is the Hospital municipial ( district hospital ) " Freyre de Andrade ," better known as " Emergencias ", established in 1920. Moreover, in this municipality, the Instituto de Higiene y Epidemiologia (Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology ), the Instituto de Nutrición ( nutrition Institute ) and the Empresa de Productos y Biologicos zoonosis ( company for Biological products and zoonosis ) " Carlos J. Finlay ".
In addition, there gint here in five outpatient clinics, a dental clinic, a maternity home, five retirement homes, a unit of Hygiene and Epidemiology, a pain clinic and a geriatric center. The Children's Hospital Pedriático de Centro Habana is one of the best in the city of Havana.
Education
The Municipality of Centro Habana is home to a total of 24 kindergartens, 26 primary schools, seven high schools, six special schools, a school of Fine Arts, a polytechnic, a language center, a center for adult education and the Instituto Superior de Diseño ( Institute of Industrial Design, ISDI ).
Culture
In the municipality of Centro Habana, there are several cultural centers. They would, for example, the Escuela de Música ( School of Music ) " Amadeo Roldán ", the Museum José Lezama Lima, where the author of the novel " Paraiso " ( paradise ) lived, the Casa de la Cultura ( House of World Cultures ) " Joseíto Fernández " where numerous programs promoting the arts arose in the community and where the Biblioteca Municipal, the Sociedad Económica Amigos del País, one of the oldest institutions of Cuba, and of the Instituto de Literatura y hostel Lingüística (Institute of Literature and Linguistics ), in whose possession there are documents of great historical value are.
In the municipality there are three theaters, the " America ", the " astral " and the " Teatro Musical" (Musical Theatre). In all three theaters occurred and occur regularly on national and international talent.
The Hispanic traditions are strongly maintained in the Spanish -born communities. The Chinese culture is present. Her greatest expression is the Barrio Chino, where you can experience the culinary, artistic, and martial traditions of that culture.
Other notable places are the Callejón de Hanmel, a courtyard, which represents the creativity of Cuban artists and where many cultural events take place. Another place is as Boluevar de San Rafael, the already millions of people are likely to have run up and down.
By the Administration of Municipalities the medal " Torneón de San Lázaro " is awarded regularly. It is intended for individuals who work for the communal life. The composer Gonzalo Roig dedicated to the annual Culture Week is celebrated each July.
Twinning
Centro Habana has partnerships with the following international cities:
- Cunit Spain, Catalonia, Spain
- Spain L' Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
- Paiporta Spain, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain