Santiago de Cuba was founded by Diego Velázquez in 1515. In the first half of the 16th century it was the country's capital city and the official residence of the Spanish rulers, until 1553 when the powers were transferred to Havana.
		Morro Castle in Santiago de Cuba

In order to protect the city from the attacks of corsairs and pirates, in 1633 the Spanish authorities started building a defensive system of which the Morro Castle and the cannon pieces of La Socapa and La Estrella have lasted to our days.

Santiago’s Morro Castle is a master combination of both built and natural elements, located on a steeped hill descending to the sea. It is a World Heritage Site.

The city is surrounded by the Sierra Maestra mountains and has a particular topography with narrow streets rendering this city a special atmosphere. Colonial houses with wooden or iron balconies of fanciful designs are still preserved. Padre Pico Street is outstanding for its steeped steps.
		Morro Castle in Santiago de Cuba

The former Colonial Square of Arms, currently Céspedes Park, is located at the center of the town, and surrounded by relevant buildings as the Cathedral, the Museum of the Cuban Historical Ambience, the Town Hall and theearly 20th century recently restored Casa Granda Hotel. One of Santiago's best attractions are the Traditional Trova or popular music from the past, Carnivals and Caribbean Festivals.

Close to Santiago, within the lush vegetation of the Sierra Maestra Mountains, are the remains of many coffee plantations established by the French planters and their Haitian slaves who settled here after the Revolution in Haiti at the end of the 18th century. This immense complex of archaeological landscapes is another World Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO. A whole French Haitian intangible heritage has persisted in Santiago de Cuba to our days.

See other places of Architectural Interest in Cuba:

History of Cuban Architecture
History of Architecture in Havana