Things to see and do La Havane

We almost didn't believe it anymore, but the Cuban Capitol reopened to the public in March 2018 after almost 10 years of restoration work! The upper part of the Capitol (the dome) underwent longer renovations, but the work was completed on time: in 2019, right in the year of the celebration of the 500 years of the foundation of Havana! The Capitol is truly one of the must-sees of Havana and Cuba. Don't miss the guided tour, it's fascinating. However, you will have to register the same day and the wait can sometimes be very long. The organization was still approximate at the time of our visit, but the wait is worth it and you will be simply amazed by this building of a rare beauty whose interior has been superbly restored!

The Capitolio Nacional (National Capitol) was built between 1926 and 1929, by order of the dictator Gerardo Machado, who wanted to reproduce the one in Washington. It was built on the grounds of Havana's first railway station. Slightly larger than its namesake, it was inaugurated with great pomp on May 20, 1929. Seat of the House of Representatives and the Senate before the revolution, it now houses the offices of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, as well as a scientific library. The vast granite staircase (39.5 m wide and 27 m long) leads to a monumental porch, where two bronze sculptures (about 7 m high and weighing 11 t) are enthroned. The one on the right represents Work, the one on the left, the Virtue of the people. They are the work of the Italian sculptor Angelo Zanelli. Behind the powerful columns, the three doors of the main entrance, also made of bronze, have bas-reliefs illustrating episodes of Cuban history: four allegories, from the pre-Columbian period to the inauguration of the Capitol. Another element of this gigantism is the dome (inspired by that of the Pantheon in Paris), 91.73 meters high. It is covered with gilded copper, which makes it visible from afar. Under the dome is one of the largest statues in the world, installed inside a building: 14 m and 30 t, due once again to the talent of Zanelli. The statue of Minerva symbolizes the Republic, in the guise of a young woman wearing a tunic and carrying a helmet, shield and lance. If the exterior is predominantly neoclassical, the interior is eclectic: an Andalusian patio, an Italian Renaissance salon, another Louis XIV style. The floors and columns are made of 58 different marbles. In the Salón de los Pasos Perdidos (the room of the lost steps), this time the reference is rather to be found in... Versailles. The room, designed for parties and official ceremonies, deserves its name: 48 meters long and 14.50 meters wide, not to mention its height. At the foot of the statue of the Republic, and in the center of the circle drawn by marble of different colors, was placed a 24-carat diamond that indicated kilometer 0 of Havana, the point from which all roads in Cuba started. As Alejo Carpentier recounts in his novel El Recurso del Método(The Methodist Remedy, Gallimard), the diamond was stolen during the presidency of Grau San Martín (1944-1948). If you want to know more, read the novel...! Let's just specify that it will be found in the private office of the president's sister-in-law. And shame on anyone who thinks badly! In the end, the authentic stone was integrated into the national heritage and remains today under good guard. The one that shines brightly at the foot of the statue is therefore fake, but it faithfully indicates Havana's kilometer 0.

During the guided tour, you will have the opportunity to discover the office of the President of the House of Representatives in imperial style and directly inspired by the Bonapartist style; it is the only French-style room in the whole Capitol and it is quite impressive. But remember that you will not be able to take pictures of it... Photos are only possible in the main hall of the Capitol. Another curiosity is the sixty bas-reliefs inlaid on the entrance doors, representing chronologically the most important events in Cuban history. You will also learn that no less than 20 kg of gold were used for all kinds of interior finishing of the building. Finally, in one of the courtyards of the Capitol there is a plaque commemorating five workers who died on the construction site.

Practical The visits are only done in groups of 15 people with a guide, in English or Spanish, and they last 45 minutes. The visiting hours are at 10:00, 11:00, 13:30, 14:30 and 15:30; on Wednesdays and Sundays, the visiting hours are at 10:30, 11:30, 13:30, 14:30 and 15:30. Please note that it is not possible to reserve a guided tour in advance. To participate in a tour, simply go to the ticket office and register for the next available tour. Registration is done at the bottom of the stairs, on the left side of the hallway (so don't go up the grand staircase for nothing because they will send you back down). The price for the guided tour is 10 € per person.

The former presidential palace is now the Museum of the Revolution. Designed by two architects, the Cuban Rodolfo Maruri and the Belgian Paul Belau, it was built between 1912 and 1919. From 1917 onwards, it was used as a residence for presidents. Between its inauguration in 1920 and the revolution in 1959, twenty-one presidents passed through it. This four-story building is built entirely of white stone. The sober elegance of the exterior contrasts with the luxury of the interior, where marble, columns and salons abound, including the Salón de los Espejos, a replica of the famous Versailles gallery, and the Salón Dorado, all in yellow marble.

On March 13, 1957, a group of young revolutionaries attacked the presidential palace with the aim of assassinating President Fulgencio Batista, who had taken power five years earlier in a coup. The operation failed. Batista managed to escape through a secret door in his office. Most of the attackers were killed, while the president of the Student Federation, José Antonio Echeverría, who had successfully participated in the seizure of Radio Reloj to spread the news, was killed by the police as he tried to reach the university. To honor these young revolutionaries, the park in front of the palace was named Parque Trece de Marzo. Fidel Castro, in January 1959, gave his first big speech in Havana on the terrace of the north wing of the palace. He never lived there, probably wanting to distinguish himself from all the presidents who preceded him. But it was the close relationship of this place with recent history that designated it, in 1974, for its new function, that of the Museum of the Revolution.

With documents, photos, objects, maps, models, etc., the Museum of the Revolution offers, on three levels, a complete and chronological vision of the history of the Cubans' struggle for independence. Don't miss it under any circumstances and plan at least 1 hour and a half because of its richness. You will go from the aboriginal rebellions against the conquistadores to the independence wars of the 19th century against the slavery of the Spanish colonial power. The twentieth century is not to be outdone with the highlighting of social and political demands, naturally. Linger on the fascinating history of the labor movement in the 1920s and 1930s and the emergence of the revolutionary process. Don't miss the sections devoted to guerrilla warfare, including the two life-size sculptures of Camilo Cienfuegos and Che Guevara in the Sierra Maestra. The last part of the museum is dedicated to the consolidation of the gains of the 1959 revolution.

You can also visit the presidential office where the different Cuban presidents succeeded each other until Batista.

Then go outside the museum to visit the Granma memorial, where the eponymous yacht on which Fidel Castro and 81 fighters left Mexico to wage the last revolutionary war is on display. The overloaded boat sailed painfully for a week before running aground in Las Coloradas on December 2, 1956. Spotted by Batista's troops, many of them were killed immediately. However, Fidel Castro and some of them managed to reach the Sierra Maestra mountains, home of the insurrectional struggle that ended in victory on January¹, 1959.

The Havana people simply call it the Plaza, because, of all the Cuban squares, it is undoubtedly the best known and the most significant. Larger than the Plaza de la Concorde, it is still too small for large political gatherings, especially the one on May^1st. The Ministry of the Interior, the National Theater, the National Library and the building housing the Council of State, the Council of Ministers and the Central Committee of the Communist Party frame the square, which makes this Revolutionary Square the epicenter of political life in Cuba and explains the large police presence there, even if it is not immediately noticeable... What is striking are the huge portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos that dominate the square.

It is in this vast space that the Cubans have taken, since 1959, the most important decisions of their history. Fidel Castro has made long and passionate speeches in front of huge crowds of attentive listeners. Contrary to what many foreigners imagine, the Plaza de la Revolución is not the work of the revolutionary government, since the idea of building a civic plaza goes back to the advent of the republic. It was in 1953, during the Batista regime, that the construction of the Plaza Cívica began, which was renamed Plaza de la Revolución on July 16, 1961. The first major event celebrated after the triumph of the revolution was the International Workers' Day on May¹, 1961.

Built in 1559 after the Plaza de Armas, intended for the military at the time, the Plaza Vieja (Old Square) quickly became the heart of the city. The first attempt at urban planning in the history of post-Columbian America, its layout innovated in relation to the Spanish urban organization with the integration of private residences. With the advent of the pseudo-republic (1902-1959), many of the beautiful homes of the past were replaced by buildings of no interest. You will pass by here more than once.

The cathedral occupies the entire side of Empedrado Street that faces the square, between San Ignacio and Mercaderes. The Jesuits began to build it in 1748, but work stopped in 1767 when they were expelled from Cuba by order of King Charles III of Spain. In 1772, the Parroquia Mayor, which had been erected in the Plaza de Armas but was reduced to dust by the explosion of the ship Invincible (anchored in the port), was moved to this square. The work was resumed and completed in 1777. Eleven years later, in 1788, the island was divided into two dioceses and the bishop Jose of Very Palacios was appointed. He transformed the oratory of Saint Ignatius into a cathedral dedicated to the Purísima Concepción. From 1946 to 1950, Cardinal Archbishop Manuel Arteaga initiated new renovations to the cathedral, in order to allow more light to enter the building, which is said to have gained in ventilation and beauty.

Today it is called Catedral de San Cristobal de La Habana, but for Cubans it is simply the cathedral. With its 35 meter façade, it is a quadrilateral with impressive dimensions. Neither the passing of time nor the tropical climate has been kind to the stone, but with the help of restoration, San Cristobal remains one of the most beautiful and imposing churches in Cuba. The façade is clearly baroque, its decoration inspired the architects of many Havana palaces. The classic French eye will not fail to notice the asymmetry of the side towers: the one on the left is narrower so that the alley that runs along its side is not closed. It is in this tower that the mechanism that operates the bells is located. Inside, the style is frankly neoclassical, following the modifications ordered in 1814 by Bishop Espada, a great defender and promoter of this style. Two rows of columns separate the central nave from the two side naves. The oil paintings, executed by the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Vermay, also date from this period. The central altar and the tabernacle were decorated with wood carvings and gold ornaments by the Italian Bianchini, under the guidance of the Spaniard Antonio Sola. This carving and gold work was done in Rome. The three frescoes on the altar are the work of another Italian artist, Giuseppe Perovani. Finally, it should be noted that the story goes that the remains of Christopher Columbus lay for a long time in the central nave of the cathedral, at least until 1898, when they were moved to Seville.

The Plaza de Armas, formerly the Plaza de la Iglesia (Church Square), houses the city's first parish church. In addition to being a religious symbol, it is also the site of political and military institutions. After the demolition of the church in 1776, the square took on its current dimensions. In the 19th century, the captain general gave grandiose parties there, and the nobility rode in carriages. From restoration to restoration, the square has recovered its 1841 appearance: only the statue of Ferdinand VII has been replaced by that of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes.

It is the second square of the city. Its origins date back to the second half of the 16th century. It owes its name to the church and convent of St. Francis of Assisi, built at the end of that same century. Situated in front of the harbor docks, the square is an important commercial center. The crews of the royal fleet would refuel here, drop off their goods and spend some time here before continuing their journey. The facades have been freshly restored.

The Plaza de la Catedral is one of the most beautiful squares in the city, the most famous anyway. The most harmonious too. It is considered the best preserved colonial architectural complex in Latin America. The pavement is arranged in such a way as to form a cross in the center (you would have to be at a high altitude to see this clearly). Unlike the most famous squares in Europe, this one was designed on a modest, human scale. Musicians often perform in the café to the left of the cathedral. A plaque recalls the visit of Pope John Paul II to Havana in January 1998. The first documents, at the end of the 16th century, mention the square as Plaza de la Ciénaga (Marsh Square), because of the waters that, in the rainy season, turned it into a pond. In 1592, a fresh water tank was built in the Callejón del Chorro (Water Fountain Alley) to supply ships. The marsh was drained in the 17th century, and at the beginning of the 18th century the construction of some of the buildings that we see there today began. At the end of the 18th century, the former Jesuit church was consecrated as a cathedral, and the square took on its present name. In addition to the Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Habana, other notable buildings frame the square: the Palacio de los Marqueses de Aguas Claras, the Palacio del Conde de Lombillo, the Palacio del Marqués de Arcos, the Palacio de los Condes de Casa Bayona and the Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center.

The birth of the Parque Central dates back to the 19th century, when it was part of the great extra-muros Paseo. Located on the border between Old Havana and the Centro Habana neighborhood, it reached its current dimensions - about 1,000 square meters - after the wall was torn down in 1877. Its current appearance dates back to 1927, when it was completely remodeled, especially due to the construction of the Capitol. Today, the Central Park is part of an interesting urban complex that includes buildings of great historical and artistic value. In the center stands the statue of José Martí. Designed by Cuban sculptor José Vilalta de Saavedra, it weighs 36 tons and is 10 meters high. The 28 palms evoke the date of birth of José Martí (January 28, 1853). This white marble monument, the first one dedicated to Cuba's national hero, was inaugurated by General Máximo Gómez, Martí's comrade in struggle, on February 24, 1905, on the tenth anniversary of the beginning of the last war of independence. Nowadays, as in the past, the park is a place of meetings, often noisy and agitated: this is where baseball fans, of which there are many, meet and defend their opinions, often with such ardor that you'll probably get the impression that they're arguing... Families also come to mingle with the park's population to enjoy an ice cream while taking in the fresh air at dusk. An iconic square.

Long under renovation, this museum reopened in March 2011 and the inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of Princess Napoleon herself, as the museum is largely dedicated to Napoleon. The history of the museum is linked to that of Julio Lobo, a Cuban billionaire nicknamed the Sugar Czar, who lived in a residence in Vedado, now the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture. A great admirer of Napoleon, he was not afraid to claim that he was his reincarnation... His passion for the Emperor led him to buy objects from all over the world that belonged to him or were related to his time. You will see a death mask of the Emperor made by Dr. Antommarchi, who ended his days in the island of Cuba. After the revolution, in 1960, Julio Lobo preferred to leave Cuba. The government decided to exhibit his collection in the former residence of Ferrara, a minister under the Machado regime, and the museum was opened to the public on December 2, 1961.

Architecturally, the residence was inspired by a Florentine Renaissance palace (Medicci Ricardi). In addition to the attractiveness of the exhibits, the museum enjoys a breathtaking view of the entire city. On the first floor, linger over the ancient engravings dating from the time of the French Revolution and Napoleon. The first and second floors contain an office, a bedroom, a dining room, a living room, all furnished with period furniture. Finally, the top floor is occupied by a library, containing all the great classics of universal literature.

The Havana Club Foundation, located in the heart of Habana Vieja, offers through its museum an encounter with the history of Cuban rum from its origins. The lively museum reconstructs the life of a rum factory, from its most traditional origins: planting, harvesting, manufacturing process. Through a model, the spectator is transported to the middle of a plantation for a few moments! Tasting of old rum offered to close the visit!

The Castillo owes its name to a altarpiece of the adoration of the three kings who were once in his chapel (since disappeared), as well as to his situation on a hill (el morro), on a rocky reef giving directly to the sea. The castle of the Morro became one of Havana's symbols, due to its architecture and the presence of the lighthouse just at the entrance to the bay. It is the most powerful defensive complex that Spaniards have built in America. Since Havana was not slow to become the rallying port of the galleons loaded with gold and money from the New World, it needed to defend attacks on the privateers, pirates and other écumeurs of the seas, but also enemy nations of Spain (England in particular). The protection provided by the Castillo de la Real Fuerza (Royal Force Castle) was found to be insufficient, with Philippe II giving the city another defensive work, entrusted to the Italian architect Juan Bautista Antonelli. The fortress of the Morro, supposedly a replica of a fortress of Lisbon, began in 1589 and completed in 1630. Very damaged during the conquest of the city by the English in 1762, it was rebuilt in 1763. From 1764, his tower served as a lighthouse. It was at that time that the Morro was assisted in his defence mission on the east shore of the bay by a new nearby fortress (La Cabaña), whose first stone was laid in 1763.

The name San Carlos de la Cabaña was given to it in honor of King Charles III of Spain, who ordered its construction on the hill known as La Cabaña, after having exchanged Florida for Cuba with the English. The work, begun in 1763, was carried out with great speed and was completed in 1774. The fortress is 700 meters long and occupies 10 hectares. It is said that the king was moved by it... "Give me a telescope," he is said to have ordered one day, "so that I can appreciate from Madrid this grandiose work La Cabaña is a huge balcony built on the hillside from which you can see, on one side, the city and the channel of the bay and, on the other, the sea. In 1859, 120 cannons, bronze shells and a garrison of 1,300 men, which could be reinforced up to 6,000, ensured a very dissuasive defense since it was never attacked. In the absence of feats of arms, it was therefore responsible for taking on the dirty work: it was used as a prison, and many patriots were shot there during the wars of independence. Then, under the tyrannies of Machado and Batista, it was the setting for many political crimes. In 1959, it was occupied by Che and his guerrillas. After being restored, it was opened to the public in 1986.

Ideal point of view on Havana. From the ramparts, the fortress offers a very beautiful view of Havana. It can be observed in its alignment from east to west with first La Habana Vieja, then Centro Habana, then Vedado and finally Miramar.

In 1556, King Philip II commissioned the architect Bartolomé Sánchez to build a fortress in the most appropriate place to defend the entrance to the port. Work began in 1558 and was completed in 1577. Until 1762, the fortress served as a residence for the captains general, before being occupied by the army. From 1899 to 1906, it housed the city's archives. It was again transformed into a barracks until 1938, when it temporarily returned to its archival vocation. Once restored, it became a national museum in 1977, for the celebration of its 400th anniversary!

The Castillo de la Real Fuerza is formed by a perfect square of a little more than 30 meters on each side, with a small patio in its center, in accordance with the canons of the Renaissance: everything here is regularity, order and geometric perfection. The castle is surrounded by a moat, and you enter through a wooden drawbridge... On the right as you enter, several bronze cannons from the foundries of Seville stand guard, similar in every way to those on the lawn of the Castillo del Morro in Santiago de Cuba.

Also worth seeing is the original Giraldilla, which since 2011 has been in the entrance hall near the ticket office. Today the fort also exhibits ceramics by the most important contemporary artists. There is a permanent collection of Cuban paintings: Rodríguez de la Cruz, Amelia Pelaez, Wifredo Lam, René Portocarrero, Mariano Rodríguez.

The first monks who settled in Havana, in the middle of the 16th century, were Franciscans. Started around 1580 and completed with the century, the church and the convent are destroyed by a violent storm at the end of the XVII century. The complex that you can admire today was built between 1719 and 1738. We recommend that you climb to the top of the bell tower, even if it is a bit steep, to admire a splendid panoramic view of old Havana.

In an old neoclassical palace, probably built between 1806 and 1817, you can discover works of art related to the life of the most famous great man in American history: Simón Bolívar. An art gallery with numerous pieces donated by Venezuelan artists completes the ensemble. In the 19th century, the house was owned by Santiago B. Burnham. The central patio, full of green plants and multicolored birds, is very welcoming.

This Franciscan hermitage, whose full name is Iglesia Parroquial del Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje (Parish Church of the Holy Christ of the Good Journey), was built in 1640 and was recognized as an auxiliary parish at the end of the 17th century. In 1775, the temple, the main chapel and the side chapels were rebuilt. The present baroque façade was added at that time. The church is recognizable by its two towers, its beautiful stained glass windows and its tiled roof.

This magnificent residence, the oldest in the plaza, is also known as the Casa de don Luis Chacón, the military governor who had it built in the very early 18th century. Don Luis Chacón was entrusted three times with the office of military governor of Cuba, an honor and above all a responsibility that was almost never in the hands of criollos, those descendants of Spaniards born in Cuba, whom the crown preferred to be pure Spaniards... The Casa-Bayona palace has one of the most harmonious facades of Cuban colonial architecture. Its red marble floor, its ceilings of precious wood seem to have been destined to higher functions than those that were assigned to it. It was the headquarters of the Chamber of Notaries until 1933, and later became the editorial office of the newspaper La Discusión. It was during this time of republic that it was named Casa-Bayona, to honor the memory of the former noble family to which it never belonged..

Museo de Arte Colonial. After the Cuban revolution and the restoration of the place, the palace became a Museum of Colonial Art. Seven marvelous exhibition halls give a glimpse of the luxury that surrounded the wealthiest classes of the colonial era: precious wood furniture, sumptuous dishes, Sevres vases, Murano crystals, silverware... We should also mention some typical Cuban furniture, such as the taburete, an upholstered chair with a narrow back.

It covers a surface of 360 hectares subdivided into several enclosures suitable for species conservation. Its paved roads, which circulate all day long bus (included in the entrance price), offer enchanting panoramas and allow you to admire animals in peace and quiet.

It is in fact the largest park in the capital with its 670 hectares, where there is an amphitheatre (2 400 seats), a lake, an aquarium, an open-air library, a riding school and sports grounds. Don't miss the statue of Lenin. A narrow, narrow steam train (trencito) runs the park tower (9 km) by making a few stops, including near the swimming pool.