El Capitolio
Encyclopedia
El Capitolio, or National Capitol Building in Havana
, Cuba
, was the seat of government in Cuba until after the Cuban Revolution
in 1959, and is now home to the Cuban Academy of Sciences
. Its design and name recall the United States Capitol
in Washington, D.C.
, but it is only superficially similar. Completed in 1929, it was the tallest building in Havana until the 1950s and houses the world's third largest indoor statue.
and was never recommenced. The dome of the building, which had been completed before work was suspended, was destroyed in an explosion in 1918.
In 1925, Gerardo Machado
was elected president. Soon afterward under the mandate of the legislature he commissioned a new design from the Cuban architects Raúl Otero and Eugenio Raynieri. The previous, partially completed building was demolished and work began on the new building on 1 April 1926. Construction was overseen by the U.S. firm of Purdy and Henderson. In it, 8,000 labourers worked 8-hour shifts 24 hours a day, and as a result the building was completed in just 3 years and 50 days.
The building was named after a referendum on the choice of either the El Palacio del Congreso (Palace of Congress) or El Capitolio, and was inaugurated on 20 May 1929. The legislature did not move into the building until February 1931, as although the structure was complete by 1929 it took almost another two years before the interior decoration was finished. The building is finished with fine marble throughout and the total cost of construction and decoration is estimated to have been 17 million peso
s. The building served as the seat of the legislature until the late 1950s; both the House of Representatives and Senate were based in the building. When the Communist Regime abolished and disbanded the Congress in 1959, the building lost its purpose as the House of the People. Later it ended up as the headquarters of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment. The main floor (which is on the first storey) is open to visitors and many of the rooms are used to host conferences and meetings.
The neoclassical building is strongly reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol, but Raynieri claimed to take his inspiration for the cupola
from the Panthéon
in Paris
.
The cupola, which is stone clad around a steel frame which was constructed in the United States and imported to Cuba, is set forward on the building to allow for some large rooms at the rear, including what is now the National Library of Science and Technology. In the original design the dome was to be decorated with stylised palm leaves but this addition was never executed. At almost 92 m (300 ft) high, the dome was the highest point in the city of Havana until the 1950s (this honour now belongs to the José Martí Memorial
).
Around the building are gardens laid out by French landscape architect
and designer Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier
at the time of the original construction. Based on the designs of some of the beautiful simple European gardens they consist of areas of lawn bordered by paths and highlighted by palms. Four groups of Royal Palm
s accent the design.
The 55 steps leading to the main entrance, known as La Escalinata are flanked on either side by 6.5 m (21 ft) statues by the Italian artist Angelo Zanelli
. To the left is Work (El Trabajo) and to the right The Tutelary Virtue (La Virtud Tutelar). The steps lead up to the central portico
, which is 36 m (118 ft) wide and more than 16 m (52½ ft) tall. There are 12 granite
Roman style columns arranged in two rows and each over 14 m (46 ft) tall. Beyond the portico, three large bronze doors with bas-reliefs by Zanelli allow access to the main hall.
The inside of the main hall under the cupola is dominated by the huge Statue of the Republic (La Estatua de la República). The statue, also by Zanelli, was cast in bronze in Rome in three pieces and assembled inside the building after its arrival in Cuba. It is covered with 22 carat (92 %) gold leaf
and weighs 49 tons. At 15 m (49¼ ft) tall, it was the second highest statue under cover in the world at the time, with only the Great Buddha of Nara being taller. It was later relegated to third place after the construction of the statue of Abraham Lincoln
in the Lincoln Memorial
. The statue stands on a plinth 2.5 m (8¼ ft) high bringing the total height to 17.54 m (55¼ ft). A Creole
Cuban, Lily Valty served as the model for the body for Zanelli, and the inspiration for the statue came from Athena
, the Greek goddess of wisdom.
Embedded in the floor in the centre of the main hall is a replica 25 carat (5 g) diamond, which marks Kilometre Zero
for Cuba. The original diamond, said to have belonged to Tsar
Nicholas II of Russia
and have been sold to the Cuban state by a Turkish merchant, was stolen on 25 March 1946 and mysteriously returned to the President, Ramón Grau San Martín, on 2 June 1946. In 1973 dictator Fidel Castro had it removed and replaced by a replica. Its whereabouts today are unknown but it is assumed to be in Mr. Castro's coffers.
To either side of the main hall is the Salón de Pasos Perdidos (Hall of Lost Steps), named for its acoustic properties. These halls, with inlaid marble floors and gilded lamps, lead to the two semicircular chambers that formerly housed the Parliament and Chamber of Deputies. The Parliament chamber to the right of building is backed on to by the President's office which has a door opening directly onto the dias
.
A range of different lamps are seen throughout the building. These were all designed specifically for the building by Cuban designers and the majority of them manufactured in France.
In the centre of the building are two patios which provide light and ventilation for the offices of first (ground), third and fourth floors. The north patio features another statue The Rebellious Angel (El Ángel Rebelde) which was donated to the building after the inauguration. There is a small fifth floor, and a sixth floor which gives access only to part of the cupola.
The building is currently closed to the public (unless you can get an "unofficial tour" from one of the security guards) with signage stating that it is undergoing restoration, however recent viewings reveal that the building has been deserted for a long time and there appears to be no work taking place.
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, was the seat of government in Cuba until after the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
in 1959, and is now home to the Cuban Academy of Sciences
Cuban Academy of Sciences
The Academy of Sciences of Cuba , founded on May 19, 1861 with its headquarters in the National Capitol building in Havana, is Cuba's Academy of Sciences...
. Its design and name recall the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, but it is only superficially similar. Completed in 1929, it was the tallest building in Havana until the 1950s and houses the world's third largest indoor statue.
History
The site occupied by El Capitolio was originally an area of swamp which was later used for slave dwellings and later still for the country's first botanical garden. In 1839, after the plants were relocated, the Villanueva Station (Estación de Ferrocarriles de Villanueva) was constructed on the site. The station was inaugurated in 1839 and was in use until the first decade of the 20th century when a modern station was constructed further to the east of the city. Before the existing building was erected there were other construction projects proposed for the site. The first, proposed in 1912, was to build a Presidential Palace, but the idea was later modified to construction of a building for the Cuban legislature. Financing was obtained and the work started in December 1917 but stopped during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was never recommenced. The dome of the building, which had been completed before work was suspended, was destroyed in an explosion in 1918.
Gerardo Machado
Gerardo Machado y Morales was President of Cuba and a general of the Cuban War of Independence...
was elected president. Soon afterward under the mandate of the legislature he commissioned a new design from the Cuban architects Raúl Otero and Eugenio Raynieri. The previous, partially completed building was demolished and work began on the new building on 1 April 1926. Construction was overseen by the U.S. firm of Purdy and Henderson. In it, 8,000 labourers worked 8-hour shifts 24 hours a day, and as a result the building was completed in just 3 years and 50 days.
The building was named after a referendum on the choice of either the El Palacio del Congreso (Palace of Congress) or El Capitolio, and was inaugurated on 20 May 1929. The legislature did not move into the building until February 1931, as although the structure was complete by 1929 it took almost another two years before the interior decoration was finished. The building is finished with fine marble throughout and the total cost of construction and decoration is estimated to have been 17 million peso
Cuban peso
The peso is one of two official currencies in use in Cuba, the other being the convertible peso...
s. The building served as the seat of the legislature until the late 1950s; both the House of Representatives and Senate were based in the building. When the Communist Regime abolished and disbanded the Congress in 1959, the building lost its purpose as the House of the People. Later it ended up as the headquarters of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment. The main floor (which is on the first storey) is open to visitors and many of the rooms are used to host conferences and meetings.
Building
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
from the Panthéon
Panthéon, Paris
The Panthéon is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and to house the reliquary châsse containing her relics but, after many changes, now functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
The cupola, which is stone clad around a steel frame which was constructed in the United States and imported to Cuba, is set forward on the building to allow for some large rooms at the rear, including what is now the National Library of Science and Technology. In the original design the dome was to be decorated with stylised palm leaves but this addition was never executed. At almost 92 m (300 ft) high, the dome was the highest point in the city of Havana until the 1950s (this honour now belongs to the José Martí Memorial
José Martí Memorial
The José Martí Memorial is a memorial to José Martí, the national hero of Cuba, located on the northern side of the Plaza de la Revolución in the Vedado area of Havana...
).
Around the building are gardens laid out by French landscape architect
Landscape architect
A landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes direction of a landscape, garden, or distinct space. The professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
and designer Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier
Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier
Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier was a French landscape architect, trained with Alphand and became conservateur of the promenades of Paris. He developed an arboretum at Vincennes and the gardens of the Champ-de-Mars below the Eifel Tower...
at the time of the original construction. Based on the designs of some of the beautiful simple European gardens they consist of areas of lawn bordered by paths and highlighted by palms. Four groups of Royal Palm
Roystonea
Roystonea is a genus of eleven species of monoecious palms, native to the Caribbean Islands, and the adjacent coasts of Florida, Central and South America. Commonly known as the royal palms, the genus was named for Roy Stone, a U.S. Army engineer...
s accent the design.
The 55 steps leading to the main entrance, known as La Escalinata are flanked on either side by 6.5 m (21 ft) statues by the Italian artist Angelo Zanelli
Angelo Zanelli
Angelo Zanelli was an Italian sculptor.He was born at San Felice del Benaco. In 1904 he moved to Rome, where he met Felice Carena. He won the contract for the realization of sculptures in the large Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II in the same city, to which he worked until 1925...
. To the left is Work (El Trabajo) and to the right The Tutelary Virtue (La Virtud Tutelar). The steps lead up to the central portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
, which is 36 m (118 ft) wide and more than 16 m (52½ ft) tall. There are 12 granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
Roman style columns arranged in two rows and each over 14 m (46 ft) tall. Beyond the portico, three large bronze doors with bas-reliefs by Zanelli allow access to the main hall.
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...
and weighs 49 tons. At 15 m (49¼ ft) tall, it was the second highest statue under cover in the world at the time, with only the Great Buddha of Nara being taller. It was later relegated to third place after the construction of the statue of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
. The statue stands on a plinth 2.5 m (8¼ ft) high bringing the total height to 17.54 m (55¼ ft). A Creole
Creole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
Cuban, Lily Valty served as the model for the body for Zanelli, and the inspiration for the statue came from Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, the Greek goddess of wisdom.
Embedded in the floor in the centre of the main hall is a replica 25 carat (5 g) diamond, which marks Kilometre Zero
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, Kilometre Zero or similar terms in other languages, is a particular location , from which distances are traditionally measured...
for Cuba. The original diamond, said to have belonged to Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
and have been sold to the Cuban state by a Turkish merchant, was stolen on 25 March 1946 and mysteriously returned to the President, Ramón Grau San Martín, on 2 June 1946. In 1973 dictator Fidel Castro had it removed and replaced by a replica. Its whereabouts today are unknown but it is assumed to be in Mr. Castro's coffers.
To either side of the main hall is the Salón de Pasos Perdidos (Hall of Lost Steps), named for its acoustic properties. These halls, with inlaid marble floors and gilded lamps, lead to the two semicircular chambers that formerly housed the Parliament and Chamber of Deputies. The Parliament chamber to the right of building is backed on to by the President's office which has a door opening directly onto the dias
DIAS
Dias or DIAS may mean:*Direct Internet Access System*Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies* Detaşamentul de Poliţie pentru Intervenţie Rapidă, , a Romanian police rapid response unit...
.
A range of different lamps are seen throughout the building. These were all designed specifically for the building by Cuban designers and the majority of them manufactured in France.
In the centre of the building are two patios which provide light and ventilation for the offices of first (ground), third and fourth floors. The north patio features another statue The Rebellious Angel (El Ángel Rebelde) which was donated to the building after the inauguration. There is a small fifth floor, and a sixth floor which gives access only to part of the cupola.
The building is currently closed to the public (unless you can get an "unofficial tour" from one of the security guards) with signage stating that it is undergoing restoration, however recent viewings reveal that the building has been deserted for a long time and there appears to be no work taking place.