If I dreamed alone or accompanied from the parks in Holguín, all distant from the sea, I was always fascinated too by the public spaces of Havana, with the sea wall, with its escort lions.
I learned about all that from History studies, especially the famous “sidewalk of the Louvre” linked to my admired Antonio Maceo, aneastern warrior of pure character, who made the Hotel Inglaterra a belligerent place in the beauty that the building had in its early years.
The Paseo del Prado was built in 1722 under the colonial government of Marquis de la Torre.First it was called Alameda de Extramuros or Isabel II: it was surrounding the walls that guarded the city. It was a dirtyroad with trees planted and where young city walkers and slaves took care of their masters´ horse cars and wagons.From 1834 to 1838, under the government of Miguel Tacón, the Paseo reached the sea wall. During that period, various constructions were carried out, especially the Tacón Theater; then the Great Theaterof Havana with its main hall García Loca and today, Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso. The majestic building had its first presentations in 1837, although the official inauguration was in 1838. Its walls are witness to the dance of the Russian dancer Anna Pavlova and our Alicia Alonso, just to name a few that are already legends.
With the collapse of the walls in 1863, more land was available. The architect Juan Bautista Orduña had the duty to sketch the urbanization on the sides of the Paseo. In his projects, a large square was conceived that became what is today the Central Park of Havana.
In 1875, the Hotel Inglaterra, now a National Monument, was built. It has a neoclassical portico, fortifications of a Mudejar interior with green, yellowish-brown and gold tiles, transferred from Seville. The "sidewalk of the Louvre" belongs to him. There, not only Maceo, but the young José Martí, and other patriots defended their convictions against colonialism. Sarah Bernhardt, French actress, and Anna Pavlova were two of the illustrious guests.
On the boundaries of the boulevard, constructions of various types grew, including hotels, theaters, houses, cinemas with an eclectic architecture, with designs to suit the owners, imitators of what was done in Madrid, Paris or Vienna. The Hotel Telegraph, was the initiator of modernity in such facilities in Havana.
In the early twentieth century, the Prado was modernized and in fact, it took the image it has today. It was the first pavement road in Cuba. At that time, cars were incorporated into the rides.
For Spain, since the days of the conquest, Havana was the most important port of the "new world". It was the key to the Gulf that they tried to protect from privateers and pirates. Such a situation led to the purchase of hundreds of cannons for protection.
Obsolete those artillery pieces, ended up cast to give place to the lions. It was the sculptors Jean Puiforcat Forestier (French) and Juan Comas (Cuban, founding expert) who were responsible for this gigantic work, with large-scale pieces, which still decorate the Prado and are objects of photography. Mr. Forestier, in addition to taking care of the lions, redesigned alsothe path with trees and the benches were made of marble, with a concept in which the tan felines seem to guard the walk. There are other ornamental elements, cups, supports and artistic iron lanterns, which together try to resemble the Spanish roads.
Walking through El Prado,one reach the Capitol. Place of mandatory stop for any “guajira” like me, who tries to walk around Havana.
Taken from La Jiribilla
Translated by Susel Esquivel
