La Chorrera Tower is an ancient Spanish military fortress that used to be part of Havana’s defensives stemduring the colonial era. It was designed by engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli to protect the mouth of the Almendares river, where it stands.

The tower has two floors, with a steep, thick stone stepped staircase that leads to a narrow bridge. The ground floor hosed the soldiers’ quarters and the stables of the few horses of the garrison, as well as another area used as gunpowder magazine, kitchen and storage.

The upper floor comprised the proper defensive and offensive areas of the building, with some rooms for the officers, to military bureaucrats and other functions.

The roof, with a tiny circular turret, was used as lookout point for the soldiers in charge of the square’s security. High on the building there is a coat-f-arms showing in its quarters the rampant lions, the castles and the bars of the kingdoms of Castille, Leon and Aragon.

THE ALMENDARES RIVER

The river is some 38 kilometers long. It is born in the Gallo and Peregrina ravines, in the Tapaste hills and empties in the west of Havana’s bay. This river has been vital for the development of the Cuban capital. Its waters have supplied Havana’s homes, first in barrels and then by the Zanja Real, the aqueduct built to grant access to the liquid. Thanks to tunnels and bridges, the Almendares river has not been an obstacle for the traffic between the East and West areas in Havana.