The first stop on our first full day in Havana was the historical Plaza de Armas.

Tile orientation sign

The Plaza de Armas has three concentric layers — a tree-filled square is surrounded by book stalls which are surrounded by colonial buildings.

The building on the back side of the Plaza de Armas, flying the Cuban flag, is the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales — the 18th century residence of the colonial governor.

A different view of the same building as above, the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales

One of many book stalls surrounding the square in the Plaza de Armas

On another side of the square is the 18th-century building that once housed the Spanish lieutenant governor.

Palacio del Sugundo Cabo

Off one corner is the oldest building on the square, the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, a 16th-century fortress built to protect Havana from pirates. It turned out to be too far into the bay to be of much use and so was more often used as a residence for colonial authorities.

Castillo de la Real Fuerza. On the day we visited, a worker hung from ropes to do tuck-pointing.

Here are my previous posts about Cuba, most shared as Saturday Snapshot posts at West Metro Mommy Reads:

• Photos of Entering Cuba
• Book review of Cuban Revelations by Marc Frank
• Photos of the Palacio de Valle
• Book review of Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
• Photos of downtown Cienfuegos
• Food in Cuba
• Colorful Trinidad, Cuba
• Book review of Havana Nocturne by T.J. English with photos of 50s Cuba
• Interiors of a 1929 house in Havana
• Colors of Cuba exhibit
• Views of Havana from Hotel Capri