Celebrate Havana's 500th anniversary at these renovated historic sites
Oct 10, 2019 鈥 6 min read
Renovation at the Capitolio Nacional is complete and ready for Havana's 500th anniversary 漏 Diana Rita Cabrera / 香港六合彩即时开奖
Meticulously restored and in some cases, literally reborn from its ruins, 贬补惫补苍补鈥檚 most iconic buildings are primed and ready for a celebration. 颁耻产补鈥檚 most important city turns 500 in November and the buildings and monuments that shape its urban landscape are finally fully repaired and open to the public.
Capitolio Nacional
The Capitolio Nacional underwent years of dedicated - and mostly handcrafted - restoration to each of the halls, historic rooms and intricately elaborate ceilings that made it famous back in 1929. Architecture and history buffs can take the one-hour tour (CUC $10 per person, 10am-noon), guided by experts from the Office of the City Historian.
颁耻产补鈥檚 history inspired themed rooms and collections at both wings, but cameras usually tilt towards the 24k-gold-coated cupola, the shining bronze statue in the Sal贸n de los Pasos Perdidos (Hall of the Lost Steps) or a replica of a 25-carat diamond right below the dome.
Avenida del Puerto
Avenida del Puerto (the port鈥檚 avenue) was the city鈥檚 first official 鈥榖order鈥 between the urban areas and the commercial life that pulsated back in the 16th to 18th centuries. For the city鈥檚 500 anniversary, a pair of porticos with the original medallions that guarded the entrance to the city in the 19th century 鈥 one at Plaza San Francisco de Asis and the other at the beginning of Calle O鈥橰eilly 鈥 have been reinstalled.
8 ways to celebrate Havana's 500th anniversary
Cuatro Caminos Market
Occupying an entire block in the confluence of Old Havana, Centro Habana and El Cerro municipalities, the Mercado 脷nico de Cuatro Caminos was inaugurated in 1920 and played a key role storing food supplies coming to and from the Havana port before distributing them to the city鈥檚 street vendors. It was one of 颁耻产补鈥檚 most visited food markets before it closed for restoration in 2013.
The Mercado will open with fully renovated facilities on its two floors and basement, including fruit and vegetable stalls, cafeterias and a section for items related to Afro-Cuban religions. It鈥檚 an icon of the non-touristy part of the city and will be an important landmark for foodies and travelers wanting to visit an authentic Cuban agro-market.
Railway Museum
The first steam railway line was inaugurated in Cuba in 1837, years before any other country in Latin America or even . The Museo de Ferrocarriles at Estaci贸n Cristina (named after the Spanish queen who authorized the funds for the first railroad investment on the island) is a doorway to 颁耻产补鈥檚 history through trains and locomotives.
The station (1861) and adjacent train platform were fully restored for 贬补惫补苍补鈥檚 500 anniversary and turned into a one-story museum with an open-air area that exhibits 25 old locomotives, including La Junta (1843).
Estaci贸n Central de Ferrocarriles
Built in 1912, the Estaci贸n Central de Ferrocarriles was left in ruins for decades and closed in 2016 for a full restoration. The building, an architectural masterpiece, features two 121-foot (37 meters) symmetrical towers covered with intricate decorations and terracotta pieces. Inside, marble columns and inner balconies overlook a central hall, lit with stained glass windows.
Due to become 颁耻产补鈥檚 most important train station 鈥 welcoming around 16,000 visitors daily 鈥 Estaci贸n Central de Ferrocarriles is being restored for 贬补惫补苍补鈥檚 big milestone with modern interiors, including shopping arcades, electric stairs, smart lighting and WiFi areas.
Cementerio de Col贸n
The Necr贸polis Crist贸bal Col贸n is the largest and finest cemetery in Latin America (and a national monument since 1987) featuring over 450 mausoleums and countless grand marble figures spaced over 50 hectares. Walking its central avenue between the huge Byzantine-Romanesque Puerta de la Paz (Peace Gate) at the entrance and the Capilla Central to the center of the graveyard provides a glimpse of the most famous tombs, including the 32-foot (10 meters) high firefighters鈥 monument on the right.
A guided tour (CUC $5) often includes a visit to the tomb of Se帽ora Amelia Goiry, also known as La Milagrosa (the Miraculous Lady), whose gravesite is regarded as a hallowed place where people go in search of miracles.
But sure to ask for a visit to the Art-Dec贸 masterpiece built by a heartbroken Pedro Bar贸 to house the remains of his beloved wife Catalina de Lasa.
Boulevard de San Rafael
贬补惫补苍补鈥檚 most important shopping street from the 1920s to the 1950s, the Boulevard de San Rafael is a five-block pedestrianized segment of Calle San Rafael, from Paseo de Mart铆 (Prado) to Av de Italia (Galeano), hosting more locals than tourists. Market supplies and gifts are less expensive than those at its sister site, the more-tourist-packed Calle Obispo.
Revamped after decades of neglect, the boulevard now boasts privately-run stores and cafeterias alongside movie theatres, beauty shops and jewelry stores. For a break from shopping and a taste of Cuban art, visit galleries La Acacia and Collage Habana.
Quinta de los Molinos
It took a few wheelbarrows to do it, but 颁耻产补鈥檚 first botanic garden was moved from Centro Habana to its second home at Quinta de los Molinos in 1838. The place was originally a tobacco-processing factory that used windmills (hence the molinos part of the name 鈥 the other part, quinta, alludes to when the country鈥檚 captain generals had a huge country house built on the premises).
When the Jard铆n Bot谩nico moved to a bigger area on the outskirts of Havana, the quinta became (and still is) a green oasis in the middle of a growing city. Guided tours (Thu-Sun; 10:30am; CUC $5) take visitors to the butterfly breeding garden and highlight a number of flora species endemic to the island. The main building, which was also the home of M谩ximo G贸mez, the Dominican general who fought in all of 颁耻产补鈥檚 anti-colonialist wars in the 19th century, was fully restored for the city鈥檚 anniversary.
Avenida de los Presidentes
Connecting the sea drive of the malec贸n with the most metropolitan area of Havana, the Avenida de los Presidentes (aka Calle G) works as a key artery in the city鈥檚 Vedado area. Residential mansions from the pre-revolution era have been transformed into museums (like Museo de la Danza), restaurants, embassies, schools and offices.
Dotted with statues of Latin-American martyrs 鈥 including Salvador Allende (Chile), Eloy Alfaro (Ecuador), Benito Ju谩rez (M茅xico) and Sim贸n Bol铆var 鈥 the avenue鈥檚 2km-long central walk has been revamped with new benches and gardens.
Hotel Prado y Malec贸n
The newest hotel in town, , overlooks Havana bay鈥檚 entrance with a boat-like design facing Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro. Located at the end of Paseo de Mart铆 (Prado), Hotel Prado y Malec贸n offers great views over the city鈥檚 oldest town and the ocean.
With 250 rooms and suites on 10 floors, the hotel was designed with 颁耻产补鈥檚 cultural icons in mind and features references to the ballet, salsa and son Cubano. A rooftop infinity pool completes the elegant touch and sets a new bar for Havana hotspots.
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