El
Malecón Habanero is the avenue that
runs along the seawall built along the northern shore of Havana,
from Habana Vieja to the Almendares River, forming the southern
boundary of Old Havana, Centro Habana and Vedado.
Main attractions:
Fortaleza
San Carlos de la Cabaña: a fortress
located on the east side of the Havana bay.
La Cabaña is the most impressive fortress from colonial
times, particularly its walls constructed (at the same time
as El Morro) at the end of the 18th century. Here you should
see the Canon Shot Ceremony, a very nice attraction.
El Capitolio Nacional:
Built in 1929 as the Senate and House of Representatives (and
said to be a replica of Washington DC's Capitol), this colossal
building is recognizable by its dome which dominates the city's
skyline.
Inside stands the largest indoor bronze statue
in the world representing Pallas Athena.
Nowadays, the Cuban Academy of Sciences headquarters
and the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (the National Museum
of Natural History) has its venue within the building and
contains the largest natural history collection in the country.
Castillo de
los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro: It is a picturesque
fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay.
The construction of the castle Los Tres Reyes
del Morro was due to the step along in Havana of the English
pirate Sir Francis Drake.
Castillo
San Salvador de la Punta: It
is a small fortress built in the 16th century, at the western
entry point to the Havana harbour, played a crucial role in
the defence of Havana during the first centuries of colonisation.
The fortress still houses some twenty old guns and other military
antiques.
El Cristo de La Habana:
It is a Havana's statue of Christ blessing the city from the
other side of the bay, much like the famous Cristo Redentor
in Rio de Janeiro.
Carved from marble by Jilma Madera, it was
erected in 1958 on a platform which makes a good spot from
which to watch old Havana and the harbour.
The Great Theatre
of Havana: It is famous particularly
for the acclaimed National Ballet of Cuba. It sometimes hosts
performances by the National Opera.
The theatre is also known as concert hall,
Garcia Lorca, the biggest in Cuba.
Hotel Nacional de
Cuba: It is the most emblematic
hotel in Havana, visited by many famous people, some of them
from Hollywood.
Museo de la
Revolución: It is located in the former
Presidential Palace, with the yacht Granma on display behind
the museum.
Revolution
Square: It is a big plaza where
main people’s celebrations are fulfilled. The most relevant
features is the tower, where you can see the whole Havana
City, the statue of Jose Marti, a national hero and a picture
of Che Guevara in one of its buildings
Necrópolis
Cristóbal Colón:
It is a cemetery and open air museum. It is one of the most
famous cemeteries in Latin America, known for its beauty and
magnificence. The cemetery was built in 1876 and has nearly
one million tombs. Some of the gravestones are decorated with
the works of sculptors of the calibre of Ramos Blancos, among
others.
