| Not only does Madrid, the Spanish capital, have a | | | | travel, look around, talk and laugh aloud, exhibiting |
| Prado Promenade, also in Havana we find a place | | | | themselves and being greeted non stop..." The |
| with this name and already more than 200 years of | | | | Promenade had comfortable sidewalks and benches, |
| history. Of course we are not going to defend in this | | | | where people rested, in case they were on foot. |
| work the supremacy of the Havana promenade over | | | | Five music bands, strategically situated, played their |
| the genuine one. Any person who knows a little | | | | music. |
| about history could easily realize that the Cuban one | | | | The structure of the Prado has remained the same |
| was built by the Spanish colonialists trying to imitate | | | | through the years, but its central section was not |
| the one in Madrid. This happened around the year | | | | paved before, although it did have leafy trees in both |
| 1772, but we will be talking about it later. | | | | sides as it does today. |
| First of all, I would like to refer to the Prado | | | | During the first American military intervention |
| Promenade as it is today, a notable character in the | | | | (1899-1902), some improvements were made and |
| city identity. It is a two-way street almost one | | | | poplar-trees were planted. During President Zayas' |
| kilometer long, whose main section has a sort of | | | | government (1921-25), pine-trees; during Machado's |
| park lined with trees separating both ways and | | | | presidency, laurels, which are the most common |
| allowing walkers to enjoy the promenade, protected | | | | trees nowadays. |
| from the ever present intense Cuban sun. It is a | | | | The Prado Promenade present appearance is due to |
| very centric place at the edge of the world-wide | | | | Gerardo Machado's government and more specifically, |
| known historical center of the city, which starts next | | | | to his Minister of Public Works, Carlos Miguel de |
| to the Malecon Avenue and has, on one of its sides, | | | | Cespedes. He wanted Havana to be a modern city. |
| the monumental Capitol, a "must" for visitors | | | | For this purpose, he brought J.C.N, a specialist in |
| spending their Cuba vacations. Around Prado | | | | gardens, promenades and parks from Paris to |
| Promenade the visitor can also find where to stay | | | | Havana, to give the necessary advice. Carlos Miguel |
| for there are many hotels that show their balconies | | | | de Cespedes built the Capitol and Las Misiones |
| and windows to it. Walking up from the sea, first we | | | | Avenue, occupying part of the space of the old wall. |
| find the mythic Sevilla Hotel, the number one of the | | | | He had the National Hotel of Cuba designed and, |
| Cuba hotels in the past. A little further is the Parque | | | | among other works, had the Prado Promenade |
| Central Hotel, besides the park of the same name. | | | | remodeled. The central promenade was then paved |
| Crossing the park is the dean of Cuban hotels: | | | | with a beautiful terrazzo floor. Stone and marble |
| TheTelegrafo (Telegraph) Hotel and besides it, | | | | benches were set, artistic lamps gave the place |
| another that opened in the middle of the 19th | | | | excellent lighting and abundant ornaments, such as |
| Century: The Inglaterra (England) Hotel; almost at the | | | | cups and corbels were situated all along the |
| end of the avenue is the Saratoga Hotel. The | | | | promenade. Also, the famous lion sculptures heading |
| presence of so many hotels in this area is not mere | | | | each block and imitating the original piecework |
| coincidence: The Prado Promenade was always one | | | | brought by Carlos Miguel de Cespedes from London |
| of the busiest places in the Cuban capital. Let us talk | | | | in 1920 were placed. |
| about its history. | | | | The remodeled Prado continued being, more than |
| Havana did not have the avenues that characterized | | | | ever, what was called the Great Hall, the Havana |
| the opulent cities of the old Europe until 1772. There | | | | stage box, around which, carnivals and military and |
| were only two in the city and rather unsophisticated. | | | | civil parades took place. |
| One started at La Punta Castle, at the bay entrance, | | | | The construction of the National Capitol (1929) |
| up to San Lazaro inlet, around what today is the | | | | brought about the separation of the Prado into two |
| Ameijeiras Hospital. This promenade became | | | | well-defined sections, as we said before. One, with its |
| afterwards San Lazaro Street. The avenue was not | | | | leafy promenade, goes from the Malecon up to the |
| paved and people walked under the shade of the | | | | Central Park. The other, from the Central Park to the |
| grape trees. On one side was the sea and on the | | | | Fraternity Park, is not tree-covered. |
| other, the orchards in the area. The other avenue | | | | It is not strange to see that a place as old and |
| started at one of the city wall gates with which the | | | | relevant through the times as the Prado, barely called |
| Spanish tried to keep the city safe from pirate and | | | | so by Havana people, might have witnessed historical |
| corsair attacks. This avenue went along Monte (Hill) | | | | breaking points concerning different layers of society. |
| Street, was also unpaved and under the shade of | | | | The Prado is no exception; we could also mention |
| coconut trees. | | | | the Fausto Theater, located on the corner of Prado |
| Havana was in these conditions when Felipe de Fons | | | | and Colon (Colombus), the first to provide citizens |
| de Viela, Marquis de La Torre, was named Captain | | | | with the chance to enjoy the "spoken cinema". |
| General of the Island by the King of Spain Charles II. | | | | To conclude, if walking up and down the Prado you |
| This Marquis is considered the first great town | | | | have ever felt the need to inquire to whom the |
| planner of the city. He forbade the construction of | | | | monuments around the promenade have been |
| palm street roof houses and insisted on providing | | | | devoted, I will tell you ... Near Prado and Malecon |
| Havana with a theater, a Government House, and a | | | | there's one, dedicated to Juan Clemente Zenea, an |
| promenade. | | | | important Cuban poet executed by the Spanish |
| This first promenade was not yet the main character | | | | colonialists in 1871; and in Prado and Neptuno is the |
| of today's story. Actually, the first city promenade | | | | bust of great journalist and patriot Manuel de la Cruz. |
| was the Alameda (poplar tree line) de Paula, named | | | | Yet, undoubtedly, the most sumptuous monument of |
| like that because on one of its sides was the San | | | | the promenade is not devoted to any outstanding |
| Francisco de Paula Hospital. Although its construction | | | | personality of our history.imagen4.jpgThe Fountain of |
| started in 1772, in the same year as the Prado, it | | | | the Indian Woman, or, La Noble Habana, was set in |
| was finished before.imagen2.jpgIn 1841, Prado was | | | | 1837, made by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Gaggini. It is |
| already considered the city main promenade; the city | | | | a marbel statue in the center of the fountain on a |
| had been growing beyond the wall limits and the | | | | wide base of the same material, with four dolphins. |
| Prado was no longer at a disadvantage in relation to | | | | The main figure is a woman sitting and ornamented |
| the Alameda for its location outside the city wall, as it | | | | with feathers. It has a symbolic meaning and |
| was before. Several local color writers of the time | | | | represents Havana City. |
| illustrated in their works how lively the Prado was | | | | At the beginning, it was placed next to its current |
| then . | | | | site, near the Fraternity Park. In 1863, as agreed by |
| There were so many carriages going about the | | | | Havana Town Council, it was taken to Central Park. |
| street at that moment, that it was necessary "the | | | | In 1875, it was transferred to the place it is today, |
| most rigorous attention to avoid being run over", | | | | but facing the Fraternity Park, until 1928, when, |
| wrote Galician writer Jacinto Salas Quiroga in his book | | | | without moving it from its original site, it was moved |
| "Around the Island of Cuba". And he continued: "the | | | | to the position it still has, at the end of Prado |
| folding hoods of all these vehicles are kept down, | | | | Promenade. The fountain that symbolizes the City of |
| showing a gentleman by himself, frequently a lady | | | | Havana could not be in a better place than the Prado. |
| and a gentleman; sometimes, three people who | | | | |