| Description |
In 1929, the land that used to be occupied by the first train station that existed in Havana became the site for the National Capitol, venue of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Republic.
The American Company Purry and Genderson carried out its construction and the building was inaugurated on May 20 to commemorate our republican anniversary.
The columns of the portal stand out at the top of the front staircase, and behind them you will find the main doors, with images in bronze of important events in National History. On both sides of the top area of the staircase two bronze statues symbolize the work and guidance virtue of our people, a work of the Italian sculptor Angelo Sanelis. The predominant style on the façade is classic, while the inside is characterized by an eclectic opulence, without loosing harmony as a result of that.
Several kinds of Marble were used for the construction of its floors, from which arises a cupula that is over 90 meters high, and visible from different areas of the city. Under the cupula, and representing the republic, you will find a bronze statue covered with a thin gold layer; you are in the Salon de los Pasos Perdidos (the Hall of the Lost Steps). The statue was also made by Angelo Sanelis, it is 14 meters high and weighs 30 tons, which is considered the third tallest statue under roof..
The Hall of the Lost Steps was designed for official ceremonies, it is 15 meters wide and 48 meters long, with a height of almost 20 meters.
A brillante was embedded on the floor at the center of the building and under its cupula, marking the kilometer 0 of the Cuban roads.
The building is currently used as the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment and is also the venue of the Institute of Scientific Information and Technology. |
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