Hotels Near Capital Building Havana
Looking for a Hotel near the Capital Building in Havana? Below is a complete list of hotels which are within a 5 minute walk or actually next to the Capitolio Habana. This list of Hotels in Old Havana only includes those hotels which are within a 900 meters (0.5 miles) of the Havana Capital Building.
Hotel Sevilla Havana ****
Hotel Inglaterra ****
Iberostar Parque Central *****
Hotel Telegrafo ****
Hotel Deauville ***
Saratoga Hotel Havana *****
Hotel Plaza Havana ****
Hotel Raquel ****
Florida Hotel Havana ****
Hotel Beltran de Santa Cruz ***
Hotel Marques de Prado Ameno ****
Hotel Raquel ****
National Museum of Music | Museo de la Música
On the site where originally a family house stood, the National Museum of Music Havana was constructed in 1906 in eclectic style and it has an arcade with Corinthian columns built in levels .Its lateral facades in Renascence style are made with stone and tiles. This edification was considered one of the best residences of XX century because of it’s external beauty. In 1936 it housed The Secretariat of State and since 1971 is the Music Museum. The building has two floors with a privileged view of sea wall (Malecón). Prominent international artists have visited in the past, like Federico Garcia Lorca, Vicente Blasco Ibañez, Eduardo Zamacois and the musician Rene Dusmnil. Many Cuban artists and theirs families have donated the principal treasures that you can admire in this museum : original scores, musical instruments, sound base, documents, pictures, belonging to figures like Gonzalo Roig, Sanchez de Fuente, Amadeo Roldan, Alejandro Garcia Caturla… For example: The piano that played “Bola de Nieve” is visible in this museum.
Revolution Museum | Granma Memorial
Located at the former Presidential Palace of the Cuban Republic, it was inaugurated in 1920 and constructed by architects Paul Belau (Belgian) and Carlos Moruri (Cuban). All the interior decoration was made by the American Company Tiffany´s. It is the museum of the national rebelliousness where through of pictures, documents, arms and numerous historical objects you obtain a real vision of the struggles of the Cuban people to obtain their total independence and sovereignty since the first settler until present time.
The main entrance has two outstanding items: the remain of El Angel lookout-part of the wall that surrounded the city in the colonial period, and the SAU-100 self-propelled gun used by Fidel Castro during the U:S: invasion to Bay of Pigs in April 1961.
Its outside appearance is an overtone combination with some tendencies of the fashionable architecture on its time, where to stand up its forms and corpulence by its elegance and perfection. In the superior brick railing of the building, just in the center of its principal façade you can appreciate a labored coat of the Republic, while its dome is one of the most beautiful of the city.
In the lobby you’ll find a painting by Armando Menocal ( Cuban artist 1861-1942) showing one episode of the Independence War of the XIX century : the decisive victory of the Commander Calixto Garcia over the Spanish troops in Las Tunas, former Oriente´s province.
On the second floor you can visit different important places like the Presidential Office, the room from which the dictator Fulgencio Batista escaped in March 13, 1857 using a secret exit, when a group of revolutionaries asalted the building to execute him for his felonies; The Mirror Salon exhibits a monumental fresco in the ceiling made by the Armando Menocal too, so-called “The glorification of the native land”.
On the other side you can find the Granma Memorial, which exhibits important historic pieces linked to the war of the liberation and subsequent battles waged by the Cubans. The Granma, a yacht in which Fidel Castro and his comrades sailed from Mexico to Cuba on December 1956 to begin the war against Batista´s dictatorship is also exhibited inside.
National Museum of Fine Arts Havana
National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana was conceived, by the principal engineer Alfonso Rodríguez Pichardo, according to the latest trends art museums of the époque, conservation and restoration of the era and considered one of the best museums in the western hemisphere. The 3 stories are communicated by stairs, ramps, elevators, and are distributed around an inner yard surrounded by galleries at the main floor.
The façades are decorated with murals and big sculptures made by Rita Longa, while the vestibule or entrance hall display the mural and “bajo relieves” made by Jesús Casagrán and Enrique Caravia. The facade’s balcony was made by Mateo Torriente Becker. It was inaugurated in 1954, by the president Batista, for the 2nd American-Spanish Biennial celebrated in honor of José Martí. The building occupies the former location of the Colón Market and former gunpowder warehouse
Floridita Restaurant Old Havana
The former owner of Floridita Restaurant Old Havana was Constantino Ribalaigua – Constante – opened a small time grocery store named “The Silver Pineapple” mainly for the sale sweets and ice cream but around 1898 and 1902 the name changed due to the visit of many U.S. marines. From that moment on it received the name of “Floridita” and during the 40s was Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bar in town. He became a close friend with the owner and they created the Papa special a new version of the Daiquiri devoted to the famous writer. During the 50s the “Esquire” magazine selected this bar among the 7 most famous in the world, and in 1989 the U.S. academy for the “AWARDS OF RESTAURANT INDUSTRY” distinguished – El Floridita- with the award “BEST OF BEST FIVE STARS”. They considered the place the most representative of it’s specialty and the birth place of the Daiquiri.
La Manzana de Gómez | Gomez Big Apple
La Manzana de Gómez building was finished in 1917 and it was named after its original owner Andres Gomez Mena, one of the richest Cuban sugar magnates of the day. Its is a unique exception of the Cuban architecture because it was designed as a high rise to use like offices and business headquarters. The main floor has two halls communicating through to the opposite corners. It also has a porch surrounding the whole building with colonnades and arcades inspired on the Second Authority House in the city. It’s an evidence of eclectic style with low architectonic value. Some years ago, around 250 000 people would pass through it annually because in its interior there were 170 stores, 1 Bank, 2 Theaters, 560 apartments with 8 stairs and 8 elevators. Actually a project is currently being studied to do a high class hotel in the building.
Bacardi building Old Havana
The most opulent exponent of Cuban Art Deco, the Bacardi building is located in the limit of Historical Center and was constructed to house the headquarters of The Bacardi Rum Co. At the times of its inauguration it was the country´s tallest structure. The façade is dressed in red granite and on the top there is the Bacardi bat symbol.
The Bacardi building is a triumph of art deco architecture with a whole host of lavish furnishings that somehow manage to blend the brashness with the cool. Hemmed in by other buildings it´s hard to get a full kaleidoscopic view of the structure from street level though the magnificent bell-tower can be glimpsed from all over Havana. There ´s a bar in the lobby and inside it some saloons have an elegant and plentiful decoration above all the great hall and the adjacent areas.
Asturian Center | Centro Asturiano
The Asturian Center was inaugurated in its new headquarters in eclectic style in 1927. The building incorporates four towers and equal number of floors distinguish it. Beautiful geometric combinations made with imported marbles, drawings and sculptures of natural size , the principal stair and the ceiling painters of the great saloon, that were conceived by Mariano Miguel together with the ironworks and the lead work stained glass windows, contribute to its peculiar splendor and majesty.
Galician Centre | Grand Theatre | Gran Teatro
The Belgian architect Paul Belau began the construction in 1838 and was inaugurated in 1914. Previously its name was Tacón Theater, in honor to the General Captain Miguel Tacón. It was one of the most sumptuous to the Americas. Famous artists acting in this scenery like Fanny Elssler and Sarah Bernhardt.
The Galician Social Club is the most antique of the Spanish Mutual Benefic Society in Cuba. It was founded in 1872 with new baroque style, like European baroque constructions. For that reason it abounds in scarving and stone´sculptures.
Its principal façade has four group of sculptures made in white marble that represent allegories of Charity, Education, Music and Giuseppe Moretti theater plays. The balconies, windows, cornices and towers conform an harmonious and elegant architectonic complex.
The theater was rebuilt inside this beautiful building and for many years was the biggest and luxurious of the country. Actually is the seat of the Cuban National Ballet.
Partagas Cigar Factory Old Havana
The legendary Partagas Factory is one of the oldest of Havana brands located in downtown Havana behind The Capitol. The Partagas Royal Cigar Factory, founded in 1845 by the Spaniard Jaime Partagas, still produce different cigar brands. For instance, it´s specializes in full-bodies cigars, producing six grands including Bolivar, Ramon Allones, Gloria Cubana and, of course, Partagas. Five hundred people work permanently. The building has a large sales room with a wide variety of brands as well as a bar ideal for enjoying a Havana Cigar. It’s open to the public from Monday to Saturday since 10.00 a.m. until 17.00 p.m. The name is still well known.
