Cuban Capitol
I am not the only one who thinks that Havana without the Capitol is simply not Havana. It is the hub of our city, its memory and unity. This is not only for its architectural uniqueness, but also for the history contained within its walls. Some numbers: it covers a space of 12,000 meters, 10,839 of which are the roof.
The gardens are 26,500 square meters. The dome is the sixth tallest in the world, and the lantern inside is 94 meters high, was only surpassed by the one at St. Peter's in Rome at the time of its construction.
There is a staricase that has a two sculptures at its base, by the Itanlain Angelo Zanelli: one is inspired by Work, or human progress, and the other, by Virtue of the people.
Zanelli also sculpted the Statue of the Republic, located in the Hall of Lost Steps, below the dome. In this hall there is a diamond in the floor indicated kilometer zero of the Central Highway.
Hall of lost steps
The building was built over the course of 3 years and 6 months, and is considered a near perfect example of early 20th century engineering. In 1817 the Economic Society of Friends of the Country funded a botanical garden, which was later expropriated by the Spanish colonial authorities in 1835 to build the Villanueva train station, angering many Havana residents at the time.
In 1910, the Cuban government, some say fraudulently, transferred areas of the Old Arsenal to the United Train Company to build the new train station there.
Politicians of the time wanted the new Presidential Palace to be located on this site, but this project was stopped in 1913, and the building was later designed to house the Legislature.
The famous Constitution of 1940 was drawn up during the Constitutional Assembly held in the Capitol. In 1959, the building was transferred to the Cuban Academy of Sciences, which donated part of the site to the Natural Science Museum, and later the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment.
The Capitol is currently the Convention Center, with services and facilities for events, fairs and exhibits. The Capitol is a required visit for its history and unique place in Havana life.
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