The National Capitol of Cuba dominates the Havana skyline with a massive, ninety-two-meter dome that sits atop a wide granite staircase. Commissioned by President Gerardo Machado and completed in nineteen twenty-nine, the building replaced…
Prado to the Malecón
Walk with me along Havana's grandest tree-lined promenade from the steps of the Capitolio to the crashing waves of the Malecón, experiencing the transition from Spanish colonial majesty to the city's ultimate open-air social living room.
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1. National Capitol of Cuba
2. Grand Theater of Havana Alicia Alonso
The Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso is recognizable by its exuberant Neo-Baroque facade, featuring four white marble sculptural groups that represent Charity, Education, Music, and Drama. The building sits on the Paseo de Martí,…
3. Hotel Inglaterra
The Hotel Inglaterra, located on the Paseo de Martí, is the oldest hotel in Cuba. You can identify the building by its neoclassical exterior and its distinctively decorated interior, which features Mudéjar-style arabesque arches, colorful…
4. Central Park
Parque Central is distinguished by the marble statue of José Martí, which stands at its heart surrounded by twenty-eight royal palms representing his birthday of January twenty-eighth. Once the site of a defensive city wall demolished in…
5. Paseo del Prado
The Paseo del Prado is a long, tree-lined pedestrian promenade that cuts through the heart of Havana, recognizable by its central paved walkway, marble benches, and eight bronze lions that appear to guard the boulevard. Originally designed…
6. Palacio de Los Matrimonios
The Palacio de los Matrimonios stands at the corner of the Paseo del Prado and Calle Ánimas as a limestone building of three stories. Its facade features a grand public portal, long balconies on the second floor, and individual balconies…
7. Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta
The Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta is a quadrilateral stone fortress characterized by its low, bastioned walls that sit directly on the western edge of the entrance to Havana Harbor. Designed by Italian military engineer Giovanni…