Posted on 05/18/2009 11:10:30 AM PDT by Lorianne
Chunks of this city's rich and eclectic architectural history tumble to the ground every few days, piece by piece, forever lost in the rubble.
Neo-Baroque and Art Deco treasures deteriorate at an alarming rate. Every three days, there are two partial or total building collapses in Central Havana alone, according to architectural experts. No official figures are available.
"Buildings are standing by sheer luck," said architect Jose Antonio Choy, president of a Cuban nonprofit organization devoted to the conservation of Havana's modern architecture.
In September, after Hurricane Ike's lethal 41-hour odyssey across much of the island, authorities reported 67 buildings collapsed in the densely populated capital — 60 partially, seven destroyed.
Centuries-old colonial buildings and picturesque squares in Old Havana have been restored since UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations, designated it a world heritage site in 1982. Examples include the acclaimed restorations of the Church and Convent of San Francisco de Asis, constructed in 1738, and the elegant colonial-era buildings surrounding the Plaza Vieja.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
But their healthcare system is great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEMYLkpYxX8&feature=email
Havana 1930. Please watch this so you can understand what Cuba was.
Gee. Maybe Obama can throw some money their way. After all, he likes their government.
The infrastructe isn’t the only thing that crumbles under Communism.
Under Communism, EVERY organization is nonprofit.
I wish I could find it, but I remember seeing someone contrast San Juan PR, with Havana, and the contrast is striking to say the least.
Let it rot!
wonder how that hotel built by Hyman Roth is doing?
Weird, I thought Cuba was the worker’s paradise, and preserved all of its heritage because of its historical significance. /sarc
Makes you sick. Like Detroit, another jewel ruined by Communists.
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