SANTIAGO DE CUBA
Santiago de Cuba is the heartland of Cuban history and culture. Founded in 1514, Santiago was the political capital of Cuba until 1607. Between 1633 and 1693 a massive fortress was constructed at the harbor mouth to protect this Spanish colony from pirates and the English.
The last battles of the war of independence unfolded here in 1898, and in 1953 the Cuban Revolution began at Santiago de Cuba's Moncada Barracks as insurgents led by Fidel Castro attacked Batista's troops. Although the attack failed and Castro was captured, the fighting continued in the nearby Sierra Maestra until the revolution's success in 1959.
Santiago de Cuba's culture is rich, with painters, poets, dancers, and musicians thick on the ground. Like most Cuban cities, the downtown core of Santiago de Cuba is largely unchanged since the 1950s, and it offers the sightseer and photographer a fascinating assortment of monuments and museums.
The stunning Caribbean highway shown in our travel photo allows cyclists and motorists to see some of Cuba's finest scenery. For the beach lover, the coastal region of Baconao southeast of the city hosts a string of unpretentious resorts.
All the photos on Cuba-Pictures.com are by David Stanley, original author of Lonely Planet Cuba. The images on this page are details. To view the complete photos, click on the thumbnails. | 
