Vivid Sculptures in Havana

There are a great amount of attractive statues inHasehura Rokuemon Tsunenaga, hero of Sendai
Havana. Some of them are emblematic and classicprovince in Japan, and whose monument perpetuates
such as the Christ at the entrance of Havana’shim as the first Japanese person who came into
bay or the statue of José Martí at theCuba in 1614 in a park of this capital. Having a
Revolution Square.Japanese-Spanish explanation, and wearing a kimono,
   It can be very interesting to walk through thethis man seems to suggest the 11 850 kilometers
capital looking for vivid monuments of famous peoplethat separates both cities.
of the past.   Another remarkable statue is the one erected to
   Some examples of them are everywhere,Francisco de Albear y Lara at the park with the same
coming from different places and times. For example,name immediately after his death in October 24th,
let us mention a few but representative number of1887. This place is located in the surrounding areas of
them.the famous restaurant El Floridita.
   Very closed to the Havanan Malecón (wall) it   Don Francisco was the designer of the
can be seen a statue of José Martí, CubanHavana’s aqueduct, master piece that is still
National Hero, wearing his classical frock coat andfunctioning.
holding his son in his arms.   The fountain of this sculpture complex
   In the Avenida del Puerto (harbor avenue) nearperpetuates the never-ending efforts of this man for
the trade zone of the bay, closed to the Paulaproviding Havana with a water system.
Church, there stands very elegantly Agustín Lara,   During the last years, sculptor Jorge Villa has
the renown Mexican composer.been a protagonist within the city. Some of his
   This statue was donated to Cuba by the peoplesculptures have been raised in different places of this
and the government of Veracruz in November ofcity: John Lennon quietly sitting in a bench at a park
2000 and makes us remember his romantic songs.of 16 St., in Vedado; Ernest Hemingway leaning on
   The visitor may also see statues of gods such asthe bar of El Floridita; devout Teresa of Calcutta
a marble Neptune that points out with his trident theseating at a bench of the San Francisco de Asis´
way to Havana at the entrance of the bay.basilica; or the “Caballero de Paris” walking as
   However, less known people’s statues cana perennial passer-by of Old Havana.
also be found. That is the case of the one erected   Meanwhile, some other immobile and nameless
to Pierre Le Moyne O´Iberville, famous military manfigures of beautiful undressed women keep their
of New France, actually Canada, who was Fleetnon-stop observation of Havana’s days, always
Admiral of King Louis XIV and died in Havana in 1706.animated by the flow and noise of either nationals or
   This statue was donated by Québecforeigners.
authorities and was placed by the Office of Havana   Statues are a real Cuban feast that pays
Historian’s workers in November 14th, 1999.homage to those famous persons who were fond of
   More unknown is, perhaps, the JapaneseHavana.