Of all of Cuba's important cultural assets, none speaks more eloquently of its history and evolution than its architecture. Like the country itself, Cuban architecture, with its distinct but difficult-to-define Cuban spirit, defies easy categorization. Spanning four centuries, this remarkable built legacy has been preserved largely through benign neglect, and so the island today serves as a rare archive of Caribbean architectural history waiting to be rediscovered.

Author Rachel Carley's incisive, illuminating text traces the island's architectural developments and achievements - from Indian bohfos, early colonial fortification systems, and Mudejar craftsmanship to baroque churches, classically inspired civic buildings, ambitious modernist designs, and the present-day interest in preservation.

Architectural treasures located throughout Cuba are vividly documented in photographer Andrea Brizzi's lush color images, transporting us - if only momentarily - to all corners of this diverse tropical land.