Monuments to visit Caraïbes

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 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.

Fifteen statues look out over the sea and the Diamond Rock, their shoulders slumped and their gaze lost. This monumental triangle-shaped ensemble (evoking the triangular trade) was created in 1991 by the sculptor Laurent Valère for the 150^th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. It evokes the shipwreck of a slave ship in 1830 off the baie du Diamant. The chained slaves could not escape, and the survivors were sent to prison…

Here we witness a strange phenomenon: the sea splits in two and leaves a 400 m long strip of sand, creating a passage that links the mainland and the island. It connects the land to its rock and protects the city of Sainte-Marie from tidal waves. A whim of nature, this comma of sand combines industry and tragedy in the past. This islet served as a fort and a port during the 17^th century, relaying barrels of rum and syrup to the ships anchored in the bay.

This plantation is a concentrate of Granada, which evokes its colonial past and its tradition of spices.

The stony path climbs dryly to the top. Once there, the watchman of the antenna may offer to give you a quick overview of the place. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, this watchtower was mainly used to warn the city of attacks from pirates or foreign powers. The panorama is truly breathtaking over Trinidad, the Sierra del Escambray, the Valley of the Ingenios and the Ancon peninsula. From the center of Trinidad, it takes 30 minutes to walk the 1.5 km of road with good shoes.

Located at the end of the Plaza España esplanade, the austere façade of the palace overlooks the River Ozama. It was built between 1511 and 1514 on the model of a similar building in Salamanca, Spain. It was the first fortified palace built by the Spanish colonizers, and the only known residence of a member of the Columbus family. To take charge of this monumental construction, an architect, whose identity has been forgotten, came specially from Spain. Some 1,500 Amerindians were forced to build the edifice from coral rock quarried from the banks of the Ozama River, using only hammer, chisel and saw. The building's style is predominantly Gothic and Arabic, with a few Renaissance features, such as the arcades. A technical feat, the Alcazar's 55 rooms (only 22 still exist today) and 72 doors and windows were built without a single nail. During his great sacking in 1586, the English pirate Francis Drake is suspected of having stolen most of the palace's valuables. The building was subsequently abandoned over the centuries and soon fell into ruin. There is evidence that the site, once an emblem of Spanish power, was used to confine cattle in the ^18th century. It wasn't until 1870 that it was declared a national monument to preserve its ruins. The Dominican government ordered its renovation between 1955 and 1957.

Built between 1502 and 1507 by order of Nicolás de Ovando to protect the city from pirate attacks, it is the oldest military construction in the New World. It is so reassuring that in the days of the colony it was called the Fuerza. At its centre is the Torre del Homenaje, a massive medieval tower dating from 1503, more than 18 m high. From its top, the view of the river and the city is superb. The defensive system of the fortress is completed by a series of forts. During the Trujillo dictatorship, the fortress was used as a prison.

This is a perfect reproduction of an ancient Roman theatre. The arched tiers can accommodate up to 5,000 spectators and frame an old-fashioned stage, surrounded by an almost Mediterranean setting of greenery. The illusion is perfect. The amphitheatre was inaugurated in 1982 by Frank Sinatra and Carlos Santana. The greatest international musicians of all styles perform there regularly, from Julio Iglesias to Chick Corea. Check the venue's website to see what's on when you visit.

It is impossible to miss this castle, which took more than 20 years to build (and is not yet finished), with its architecture at the crossroads of the Middle Ages and the fantasy of its author. Mundo King houses about 800 pieces of art: monumental sculptures of granite and wood rather disturbing, paintings mixing religious elements with dinosaurs and other apocalyptic scenes, all on several floors. Note: the crypt, absolutely not illuminated... shivers guaranteed! An intense experience that will not leave you indifferent.

Surrounded by a breathtaking natural setting, the Château Dubuc, a former sugar house, dominates the tip of the Caravelle peninsula. You can get there by a stony path 10 minutes walk from the parking. On the site, we can still see the remains of the mansion, the kitchens, the industrial buildings and the huts (no hut street in Dubuc). Ironically, the slave dungeons are the best preserved remains of the site. The micro-museum presents different elements on the organization and functioning of a sugar house, and more particularly those of the domain. The Dubuc family is one of the most famous and oldest on the island. Its establishment dates back to 1657. Pierre Dubuc, who arrived after Pierre d'Esnambuc, is said to have engaged in numerous illicit activities, in close collaboration with freebooters. Apparently, the traffic of “ebony” and various goods, stolen from boarded ships, was the main activity of the inhabitants of the domain. The goods were exchanged for meat and musket balls. To keep up appearances, the Dubucs owned four sugar mills. In 1770, they bought their letters of nobility. The Dubuc branch remained without heirs. The property fell into ruin at the end of the 19^th century. It is now the property of the Regional Nature Park, which has undertaken a vast rehabilitation of the buildings.

Inaugurated in 1890 on Verdi's Airs's airs, the voice of tenor Caruso will also resonate in the enclosure. Declared a national monument - it's one of the three major provincial theatres - it bears the name of a great music connoisseur in the region. Admire the beautiful circular fresco decorating the ceiling and symbolising the Seven Muses. The sites are still home to the most prestigious shows in the region. A café with the same name is beside it. Often very lively, it is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. with shows in the evening from 22 p. m.

Built in 1918 according to the canons of the Art Nouveau style, the Palacio Ferrer is an emblematic building of the main square of Cienfuegos. Today it houses the House of Culture (Museum of Arts), with its more or less open tower and spiral staircase. The famous tenor Enrico Caruso stayed there during his stay in the city. Numerous thematic exhibition rooms. Superb view of the city and its bay from the mirador.

Founded in 1845, it is one of the oldest factories in the capital, where production has never been interrupted. Unfortunately, the premises that you will have the opportunity to visit are not the historical premises of the factory. The space is currently being renovated to become the Tobacco Museum (Calle Industria, 520), and if you go to the new, more modern site, you may not have the historical setting, but the spectacle of cigar making remains unchanged, and has for over a century and a half (the factory was founded in 1845). You'll find that the 700 employees listen to a 45-minute political speech every morning, and then have newspaper articles and chapters of a novel read to them in the afternoon. The reading to the workers dates back to the end of the 19th century, and titles of successful novels have become names of famous cigar brands, such as Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) or Romeo y Julieta (Shakespeare). Beyond the anecdote, one will be amazed by the manual agility of the tobacco workers. Each position has its own speciality, and the work chain is well oiled! The fundamental and most impressive step in the making of a puro is the process of selecting the leaves, rolling them and cutting them. Experienced torcedores, doing this work at an insane speed, manage to roll between 120 and 150 havanas a day. Great art!