Jacques de Sores was the first pirate to savagely attack Havana in 1555. Other French and English privateers followed. This led to the proliferation of Spanish forts to protect the port. These defenses were enhanced from 1674 until 1740 by building a 3.1 mile wall encircling the city. Some of these fortifications were five feet thick and 33 feet tall. Most of the walls were torn down in 1863. A few remnants remain such as this one in front of the Museum of the Revolution.
