Page 237 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

SANTIA GO DE CUBA  235

Plaza de la
Revolución
In the northeastern part
of Santiago, beyond the
Moncada barracks, is
Plaza de la Revolución,
a large, rather soulless
square at a crossroads
of three major avenues.
The square is dominated
by a vast monument
executed in the early
1990s by the Santiago
sculptor, Alberto Lezcay,
representing General
Maceo (see p48) on
horseback, surrounded
by 23 stylized machetes.
The monument to General Antonio Maceo in Plaza de la Revolución Plaza de la Revolución
marks the start of the
26 de Julio, which in fact Plaza de Marte modern, residential area of the
illustrates the history of Cuba East of Plaza Dolores is the third city, where the architecture shows
from the time of Columbus, but largest square in Santiago, laid a marked Soviet influence.
devotes most space to the out in the 19th century. It is of
guerrilla war of the 1950s. There great historic importance: here Vista Alegre
is a model reproducing the attack capital punishment was The Vista Alegre quarter has
on Moncada. There are also meted out both in the fine eclectic-style buildings
possessions which belonged to colonial period and under constructed in the 1920s and
Fidel Castro, his brother Raúl and General Machado. At its 1930s. The quarter also
Che Guevara when they were centre is a 20-m (65-ft) has two important
waging war in the Sierra Maestra. column (1902) celebrating institutions: the Centro
Cuban independence. Cultural Africano
E Museo Abel Santamaría Fernando Ortíz, with African
Cuadrado – Parque Histórico P Bosque de masks, statues and musical
Abel Santamaría los Héroes instruments on display,
Calle General Portuondo (Trinidad), e/ East of the centre, The column in and the Casa del
Calle Nueva y Ave. de los Libertadores. behind the un- Plaza de Marte Caribe, which houses a
Tel (22) 624 119. Open 9am–5pm mistakable Hotel historical archive,
Mon–Sat. & 8 Note: fee for Santiago, lies a small, library, alfresco music venue
photography may apply. unobtrusive hill. A white marble and centre for conferences,
The Moncada barracks, former monument was erected here in workshops and events (see
Saturnino Lora hospital and law 1973 to honour Che Guevara p282). During the Fiesta del
court buildings, form part of the and the comrades-in-arms Caribe, the Casa del Caribe
Parque Histórico Abel Santamaría. who died with him in Bolivia. presents examples of Yoruba,
In the 1953 raid, the former hos- Their names are engraved here. Congo and voodoo rites.
pital was the target of a group of
rebels led by Abel Santamaría,
who was captured and killed by
the police after the failed attempt.
The remaining hospital build-
ings now house a museum with
documents and photographs
relating to the trial of Fidel Castro
and other rebels, which was held
a few days after the attack on the
barracks in one of the rooms.
Besides the photographs
illustrating the difficult social
and economic conditions in
Cuba during the 1950s, there is
the manuscript of Castro’s
landmark self-defence in court,
later entitled History Will Absolve
Me (see p153). Bosque de los Héroes, honouring Che Guevara and comrades

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