The Capitol building is probably the most astonishing peace of architecture in Havana. Located in the Old Town, this is a palace that I will definitely recommend you do explore during your stay in Cuba.

Few are those that know that in the land that today the Havanan Capitol is, a swamp existed, dredged and converted in the first botanical garden that had the capital at the end of the 19th century.

Neither is it known that the definitive construction the Capitol was many time delayed because its high cost on one hand; and to the political indecisions, on the other. Then, on March 1926, the construction of the Capitol began finally.

The imposing edifice opened its 20 feet doors to the public on Thursday May 20. Every government institution was invited to the unveiling ceremony including the President of the Republic of Cuba and other prestige politic personalities of those times.

The group that took part in the planning of the construction of the Capitol was also joined together by engineers and Cuban architects under the capable hands of Eugenio Raynieri Piedra of a renowned architected famous for his artistic designs. The total cost of the project reached the 17 million dollars.

This building calls for the attention of anyone passing by for its stunning dimensions and shapes. It seconds The Squares of the Revolution as the highest point in capital. Its design resembles those of the Capitol of Washington, The Basilica di San Pietro in Rome and San Paul's Cathedral in London.

A further detail that captivates everyone is the central piazza, which is escorted by 17 ionic columns of granite and in its facade; the three huge mahogany doors that give access to the main floor all three decorated with engraving recalling events of the history of Cuba.

The Capitol of Havana counts over seven decades since its opening in 1926. The colossal construction is regarded as the third in relevance in Latin America for its monolithic structure and certainly first in Cuba.

From the Capitol of Havana -that is not national -, the kilometer 0 of all the highways of the country begins. It was designed so that in it the two chambers of the legislative body of the Republic worked all the sessions until 1959.

The statue of the Republic of Cuba, inspired in the Havanan model Lily Vlty, has the third place in the world of the highest sculptures indoors. It was installed in 1929, in the room of the Lost Steps (Saln de los Pasos Perdidos). It was made by Angelo Zanelli who also used this model to sculpt the statues of the central piazza.

Visiting the Capitol of Havana is just an amazing trip to the past. It was built to resemble the one in the United States, but in its rooms you will find a lot of history hidden behind its columns. Your vacation will be complete when you experience this visit. Do not miss the chance.