José Martí Memorial

The José Martí Monument located on the northern part of the Plaza de la Revolución in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. The national hero José Martí in the (1853-1895) reminds monument, a writer and thought leader in the independence of Cuba, was built from 1953 to 1958 during the second term of office of dictator Fulgencio Batista.

History

Planning began in the late 1930s with several competitions, from which emerged a proposal in 1943 by the architect Aquiles Maza and the sculptor Juan José Sicre as a winner. However, the construction did not begin immediately. Only after the coup of 1952 put Batista away the plans to support in the population to get. However, he instead chose the winner of the third-ranked proposal of the last competition.

To the north of the monument is the building of the Comité Central del PCC, the seat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba. The monument serves as a backdrop for the government of Cuba during state visits and public appearances.

Shaping

The monument is located on a hill and consists of the statue of José Martí, standing in front of a 109 m high tower. The ten -meter-high statue is of José Martí in a kneeling posture dar. The tower has the base of a five- star and is clad with gray marble from the island of Isla de la Juventud, and tapers towards the top. On top of the tower there is a viewing platform, which is accessible via a lift.