The Jose Marti Memorial

Add a review of the memorial of Jose Marti

José Martí - the singer of freedom and the apostle of independence, as well as the ancestor of modernism in the Cuban literature . One of the powerful monuments (this is the mausoleum with the honor guard at the cemetery) of this outstanding personality has already been delivered to Santiago- de-Cuba in 1951 . And in 1958 . on the Revolution Square the Havana complex was opened: an impressive construction consisting of a vertical stele almost 110 m high and a sculptural image of the hero . Besides the fact that this whole structure is very it looks powerful, it also functions ally: there is an archive of a writer and a poet inside the stele, and at the top there is an observation deck .

The observation platform at the top of the monument is the highest in Havana; it was raised to 139 m above sea level.

The project of the monument was chosen at the competition as far back as 1943, and at the same time the performers were defined: the sculptor Juan Sicre and the architect Aquiles Maza. But for the creation of the complex it was required to demolish the building of the Hermitage on this site. In 1952 the dictator Batista came to power, who wished to choose another project and change the chief engineer. As a result, the memorial was completed only in 1958 - just before the revolution.

At the bottom of the stele, which is a five-pointed star in the section, is the Marti Museum, where several rooms have documents, letters and photographs, as well as personal things of the writer . On the walls you can read excerpts from his works . Of particular interest is the Venetian ceramics created by the Cuban artist Enrique Carabia, with 89 sayings of the writer, lined with letters covered with 10-carat gilding . In addition, in one from the halls are collected documents related to the history of the Revolution Square, in another - works of contemporary art . One of the museum's values is a copy of Bolivar's sword donated by Hugo Chavez to Fidel Castro in 2002 . Also at the bottom is a small conference hall for 100 seats, where sometimes hold even chamber concerts .

Behind the Jose Marti memorial in the Revolution Square are the monuments of Che Guevara and Camilo Cinfuegos in the form of massive stone rectangles with metal portraits of heroes. Under the portrait of Guevara is written "Always to victory," under the image of Sienfuegos - "Keep it up, Fidel! "Directly behind the monument of Che is the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and behind the monument of Cienfuegos - the Ministry of Information.

The glazed survey site on the top of the monument is the highest in Havana; it is raised to 139 m above sea level. It has an excellent view of the Vedado district around and further to Havana in all directions

The sculpture of the writer before the stela, carved from white marble, reaches 18 m in height. The pedestal on which it is installed was used (and continues to be used) as a platform for the solemn speeches. And the whole vast territory around the monument last nearly half a century serves as an arena for the most mass demonstrations in the city. Two Roman popes served here at Mass, sometimes large-scale open-air concerts are held here.

José Martí's Monument should not be confused with the statue of Jose Martí, also in Havana. The latter is set on the Prado boulevard and is a growth marble statue of the writer on a high pedestal decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs.

Due to its exceptional historical significance, the entire Revolution Square in 2011 was declared a national monument. A lot of travel agencies in the city offer organized tours around the memorial and around it with a guide.

@ José Martí Memorial