Choosing just ten locations in the capital that reflect Cuba's revolutionary work was a considerable challenge. This task is complicated by the rich history and current social significance of each of these sites, which not only represent key moments of the past, but also continue to have an impact on society today.
By Dayán González Ramírez, Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), translated from the Spanish
Just a few days ago, the 66th anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution was celebrated. It has been more than six decades full of history. For this very reason, it was a very difficult task to select just ten places in the country's capital that symbolize that revolutionary work, both for their current social purpose and for their historical significance.
1 - Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras
Destined to become a bank, a symbol of the savage and brutal capitalism that subjected the vast majority to extreme poverty, illiteracy and unhealthiness, the work of the revolution turned it into a hospital that has saved thousands of lives, free of charge, and is a symbol of the humanist vocation of the Revolution.
2 - Staircase of the University of Havana
Its construction was completed in the final years of the 1920s as part of the public works plan of the dictator Gerardo Machado. Although the aforementioned plan was notoriously corrupt, the 88 steps have witnessed transcendental moments of the Revolution. In the years prior to the triumph, it was the scene of pitched student struggles. The Centennial Generation descended there to pay tribute to Martí and after January 1959 it became a platform for notable speeches and concerts. Since the death of the Commander in Chief, it has become the place to pay tribute to the historical leader of the Revolution every year.
3 - Imperial Eagle Pedestal
As a symbol of the Cuban people's will to be free, sovereign and independent, away from U.S. interference, two columns were erected on the Havana boardwalk that once held the imperial eagle. It was the year 1961, specifically the first day of May, when the imperial eagle was brought down in front of a people inflamed by a desire for freedom. Busts of U.S. politicians were also removed. And here is still the carved stone and the cannons and chains of the Maine that adorn it so that the true pretensions of the American government are never forgotten.
4 - The Palace of the Revolution
The former presidential palace, which José Antonio Echeverría called the tyrant's burrow, and where he went to execute him, is today a museum that houses the treasures of a large part of the history of the Revolution. On one of its balconies, as a reaction to the detonation of explosives nearby, the Commander in Chief proclaimed the foundation of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, a sign of the organization and strength of this enormous revolutionary work that has just celebrated its 66th anniversary.
5 - Anti-Imperialist Tribune
In the midst of the battle for the return of the child Elián González, kidnapped in the United States, it was decided to build the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune, and it is a sculpture of the Apostle himself that presides over this place where the Cuban people have amassed hundreds of times. Since its foundation on April 3, 2000, this place has hosted countless mass demonstrations of patriotism. The most recent was on December 20, when more than 500,000 Cubans marched, led by Raúl and Díaz-Canel, to demand the end of the blockade and the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
6 - Ruins of the Bureau of Investigation
During the tyranny of Fulgencio Batista, more than 20,000 young people were tortured, murdered or disappeared. A large number of them went through the Bureau of Investigations. Thanks to the Revolution, today there are only the remains of that infamous institution, among whose ruins a playground stands for the enjoyment of girls and boys.
7 - Liberty City
Several strides were made in Cuba after the revolutionary triumph to solve the problem of illiteracy: a literacy campaign was waged, hundreds of educational centers were built and barracks were converted into schools. This is the case with the former Columbia fortress, a military symbol of Batista's dictatorial regime, whose facilities were converted into kindergartens, schools and even universities. The Caravan of Freedom arrived there on January 8 and Fidel gave a vibrant speech in which he said: I believe that this is a decisive moment in our history: tyranny has been overthrown. The joy is immense. And yet, there is still much to be done. We do not deceive ourselves into believing that from now on everything will be easy; perhaps in the future everything will be more difficult.
8 - Monument to Mella or UJC headquarters
Opened on January 10, 1976, the monument that holds the ashes of Julio Antonio Mella symbolizes, like many others of its kind, the honor of those who gave their lives for the revolutionary struggle. It reflects the certainty that the enormous progress that has been achieved in Cuba since 1959, is faithful to and consistent with the thousands of invaluable lives that were lost to achieve victory. This 10-meter-high sculptural work reflets the conviction that, as Mella expressed: Fighting for the socialist revolution in America is not a utopia of madmen or fanatics, it is fighting for the next step forward in history.
9 - The corner of 23rd and 12th in Havana
The year was 1961 and the United States had decided to escalate its aggression against Cuba. On April 16, at the funeral of the victims of the attacks prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion, Fidel, in front of the crowd gathered there, declared the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution. Later it was agreed to adopt this date as the founding date of the current Communist Party of Cuba.
10 - Revolution Square
This Plaza, guarded by Martí, Che and Camilo, has witnessed many sublime moments for the people of Cuba. In it, the leadership of the Revolution and the Party consulted the people on important decisions. In it, Cubans have cried and laughed, they have been enraged and have celebrated with emotion and national pride.
This work and the photos were translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC
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