The Forest of Havana is part of the Metropolitan Park of Havana
When Havana began to stretch out towards the outskirts, beyond Monte Vedado*, one of the main obstacles was Almendares River, although it does not carry much water, approaching the sea it becomes quiet, its waters widen; thus forming a estuary of considerable dimensions, whose volume fluctuates every day, according to the tides.
The city development required a way, sure and wide, which permitted the moving of persons and goods between both sides of the river. So, in December 1908 the construction of a bridge began- for the epoch, it represented a very complex engineering work- with 214 meters long and 13 meters wide, complemented with double ways for streetcars: so that it could join the oldest part of Havana with Marianao, locality in full development.
The project cost 217 thousand, 106 pesos with 88 cents, which represented for that epoch a high sum of Money. About one year and a half was needed to finish it.
Up to that time to cross Almendares River was very difficult though a suspension bridge, with no more than one meter wide, made of ropes and boards, along which walkers went by, in a kind of tightrope; while carriages were transported on a barge.
Another way to get to Marianao was moving to up to what nowadays we know as Puentes Grandes (Large Bridges). It seems now easy, but at that time with roads in bad shape, and riding horse carriages, it was no easy task.
.The works of the bridge on Almendares River were commissioned to Mr. Barclay, a builder from New York; the contractors were Cuban Champion and Pascual. The supervision of the works was in charge of engineers Francisco Franquiz-at that time- Head of the Provincial Department of Public Works- and Juan Antonio Cosculluela, assistant engineer of that department.
The construction of the bridge, which today joins 23rd Street in Vedado Neighborhood with 47 Street of Playa Municipality, permitted not only the step to modernity towards the western part of the Cuban capital, but also it propitiated the development of a whole stripe on the river bank.
In 1912, publicist Carlos de Velasco, in his magazine Contemporary Cuba, promoted the idea of building a big park on the bank of Almendares River. This suggestion was taken into account -later on- by French city planning Jean Claude Nicolás Forestier, director of the parks of Paris. He conceived an ambitious project of the river and its green brooks as main attractions.
So, Almendares Park was born, a place for enjoyment of habaneros, where cultural and joyful activities take place. There, you can enjoy the quietness and the shade of the trees to chat or to read a book.
The park extends along the river bank with trees full of greenness, which has served as a refuge to thousands of furtive love dates; and unluckily, also, to some criminal actions.
Some People who practice animist religions also come to this place to get in touch with the spirits of the trees, the river or the stones.
The producers of movies and television use this place frequently to film scenes which require this kind of environment. We should remember those adventures transmitted live by the Cuban Television, a 7:30 p.m. All the children at that time, waited for them eagerly; or the Cuban soap opera, based on the classic Roses on Credit, where the Martín gets lost in the woodland of Havana.
Today, Almendares Park and its woodland make up part of a large socio-cultural, environmentalist-recreative project called Grand Metropolitan Park of Havana, with an extension of about a dozen kilometers along the main River of Havana
*Monte Vedado: The coastal strip between the San Lázaro fortified tower and that of Boca de la Chorrera, or the mouth of Almendares was called so by Havana citizens, because it was a scrubland with hard rocks and impenetrable brushwood. For more information, visit El Malecón (The Seawall), communion of Havana and the Caribbean.
Translator: Reinaldo Fernandez
