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Paseo del Prado Old Havana

Avenida del Prado Habana Vieja

It had several names: The Meadow Promenade, The Isabel II Promenade and even the Jose Martí Promenade but the first, was the one that survived. For many year was the most important and beautiful avenue in the city with almost one Km long from Malecón avenue to the fraternity park and it was first registered in 1772 –Marquis De la Torre ruling period-. In the first half of the XIX century –Miguel Tacón ruling period- it lost its rural conditions and turned into a wide gravel walk increasing the traffic in the area and at the second half fancy mansions and society buildings started to show up in the vicinity.

Prado Avenue Old Havana

In 1902 the streets were paved with asphalt –for the first time in the city history-. In 1928 Forestier decided to decorate it with benches made of stone and marble, iron light posts and bronze lions made from former cannons. The bronze statue at the beginning of the promenade was made by Spanish sculptor Ramón Mateu in 1920 to honour a poet and martyr of the first independence war Juan Clemente Zenea. At the opposite end stands the bust of Manuel de la Cruz another patriot friend of Martí.

Prado Avenue Statues Havana


Central Park | Capitolio Habana

Monumento Jose Marti Habana Vieja

It was built in the space occupied by 3 tiny colonial squares and the former park Isabel II. The park possess first statue in the island devoted to José Martí made in Carrara marble by the Cuban sculptor José Vilalta Saavedra. The bronze sculptures at the base represent some of the scenes of the national hero’s life. The monument Is surrounded by 28 royal palm trees -the national tree- according with the hero’s birthday (January the 28th) and as a symbol of the Cuban spirit and because Nowadays is popular place for national baseball discussions and public gatherings.
Jose Marti Memorial Old Havana

Fountain of the Indian woman Capitolio Havana

Fuente de la India Habana Vieja

Also known as The Noble Habana, was designed by the Italian architect Giuseppe Gaggini in white marble of Carrara, and donated to the city by Don Claudio Martinez de Pinilla, Count of Villanueva.

The fountain is placed on a rectangular base with a dolphin at each corner (four in all) whose mouths pour water over the great seashell at the base. The Indian woman (whose name was Habana) wears a feather crown on her head and holds a quiver with hunting arrows over the left shoulder. On her right hand she has the horn of plenty full of tropical fruits while the Havana coat of arms is on the other hand. This fountain created with a classic and native influence was a gift to the city. It was located in 1837 at the end of the former Campo de Marte (today Paseo del Prado). Afterward in 1863 was removed to Central Park by Resolution of the Municipal Administration, and back to its original location in 1875 where it stands at present.

FOUNTAIN-OF-THE-INDIAN-WOMAN-old-havana

Fraternity Park | Capitolio Havana

Parque de la Fraternidad Americana

It’s placed in the grounds of the former “Campo de Marte” – Martyrs Field – used for the military parades since the XVIII century. After 1928 it was transformed into the American Fraternity Park during the Pan-American Congress held in the city of Havana on that same year. A ceiba tree was planted in the center of the park using ground from all the countries of the American Continent. The bust represents the most relevant characters of our regional history.

Parque la Fraternidad Habana Vieja

Capital Building Havana Gardens

Capitolio Habana Gardens

The Capitol gardens are considered a veritable work of art. They were designed by the architect J.C.N. Forestier, who followed the style and simplicity of the most beautiful European gardens.

A system of paths forms the crossroads of all the accesses leading to entrances in all the fronts of the building. Palms stand throughout the area occupied by these paths and the lawns. Of these, particularly fine are the groups of royal palms, unmistakable due to their proportions, form, color and tropical character.

The distribution of the lamps naturally follows the layout of the gardens, and are made of iron and bronze. A total of 101, they each have 1, 2, 3 or 5 lights.

Capitolio Havana Dome

Havana Capitol Building Dome

If the building is impressive, the dome attracts even more attention. Situated at the intersection of the two salient bodies and the Central Portico, the dome crowns the entire building, rising over the attic of the Portico at a height of 92,73 meters (304 feet) from its base. It is currently the second highest point in the city, preceded by the Jose Marti Monument on Revolution Square.

The dome of the Capitol is similar in exterior and interior composition to the Pantheon in Paris, exceeding it in diameter and height above ground level. The most famous domes in the world, built since Renaissance times, and considered masterpieces, clearly influenced the design of the dome of the Cuban Capitol. The principal model was the dome of the Pantheon in Paris, but Saint Peter´s in Rome was also considered, inspiring the curve of the parapet and the powerful projecting ribs of the main calotte.

 

Other similar domes were also studied, such as that of Saint Paul´s Cathedral in London and the Capitol in Washington. This does not mean, however, that they are the same, as both the dome and the lantern are completely different in their details from these models.

Majestic Building in Old Havana

Building Havana Capitol

Seen from the distance and from any of its angles, we can appreciate the austere majesty of its proportions. The view is beautiful from any angle, from the Fountain of India, from the arcades of the Payret cinema, from the window of any of the surrounding buildings, and from many other points of the city.

Kilometer Zero | Capitolio Havana

capitol of havana Kilometer Zero in Cuba

In the center of the Rotunda in the Room of Lost Steps, the visitor finds a replica of the diamond whose true value resides in the fact that it marks kilometer zero in the roads of the country. The diamond is housed in a circle worked in bronze and surrounded by an octagonal star made from marbles of different colors, showing the Cardinal points.

Statue of the Republic | Capitolio Havana

Capitolio Havana Angelo Zanelli

Installed at the entrance to the Room of Lost Steps, this work receives the visitor with perfect serenity and majesty.

The Statue of the Republic forms part of the trilogy of monumental statues in the Capitol. Its companions, which stand before the main entrance, symbolize the Guardian Virtue and Work. All three are by the Italian sculptor Angelo Zanelli who, as he himself declares, took his inspiration from the very nature of the country, its women and the color of the Cuban sky at dusk.

The room of lost steps | Capitolio Havana

Room of lost steps Capitolio Havana

On entering the building the visitors is received by the colossal Statue of the Republic. In reclining posture, this is considered the third-tallest interior statue in the world. Monumental in its proportions, it weights 49 tonnes and reaches a height of 17,54 metres, standing on its pedestal of onyx marble.

Just a few metres from the entrance, in the very centre of the great rotunda, is a replica of the diamond marking kilometre zero of the country´s roads. Over the rotunda is the interior of the dome in whose frieze we can see the coats of arms of the old provinces of the country.

The room was conceived only for big receptions and banquets, and originally therefore contained no furniture whatsoever, apart from the 32 candelabras, in the purest Italian Renaissance style designed by Cuban artists and cast in France. Like the other decorative elements in the room, they feature symbolic maces. The furnishing is completed by 20 marble benches made in Italy, distributed between the candelabras through-out the room, the 42 doors giving access to the loggias, inner courtyards or patios, and the rear section of the building. The name “Lost Steps” was given to it because of its unusual acoustics.