[2] In July 2015 it was included in the UNESCO Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale World Heritage Site.

The Cuba shows strong Fatimid art influences, as it was (at least partially) designed by Arab artists still living in Palermo after the Norman conquest.

The Cuba was built in 1180 for King William II, in the center of a large park called Jannat al-ard ("Paradise on earth"), or Genoardo.

The Genoardo also included the Cuba soprana and the Cubula, and formed part of the Sollazzi Regi, a circuit of Norman court palaces located around Palermo.

The original use of the Cuba was recreational; the man-made pool served as a natural air-cooling system, for resting during the hottest hours or attending parties and ceremonies in the evening.

Furthermore, the largest cluster of open windows was on the north-eastern side, to better receive the fresh winds from the sea, further humidified by the waters of the surrounding artificial lake.