The Houses of Old Cuba

"A book of great beauty, a picture of Cuba today seen only by Cubans."—Islands Magazine

From the indigenous simple huts known as bohios to sumptuous neoclassical villas, from the grand palaces of the Spanish occupation to luxurious quintas or country mansions, all the secrets and enchantments of Cuban life, past and present, remain intact today in the city of Havana, in the towns of Trinidad, Camaguey, and Santiago de Cuba, and in the countryside. This superbly illustrated book reveals a Cuban architectural heritage that is often ignored or hidden from the view of visitors to the island.

Drawing upon local archives, museum records, memoirs, diaries, and other native sources, Llilian Llanes describes Cuba's architectural history from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. The evolution of Cuban architecture, influenced by climate and by social conditions, parallels the cultural, political, and economic history of the island, and the houses and their decoration reflect periods of greater or lesser prosperity, as well as social inequalities. 168 color illustrations.