Escuela Nacional de Ballet

CA3
General sightseeing
CA Ranking: 3
Open: Closed Sat-Sun, visits arranged through CENEARTE
Paseo de Martí (Prado) 207 entre Trocadero y Colón
  • This is the biggest ballet school in the world and the most prestigious one in Cuba, with approximately 3,000 students. The school goes back to 1931 with the creation of the Escuela Nacional de Ballet de la Sociedad de Arte Musical, where Cuba’s most prestigious ballet dancer, Alicia Alonso, trained as a ballerina. The present 20th-century mansion has been home to the national ballet school since 2000 after extensive restoration and adaptations to fit the needs of the school. Outstanding are the two monumental staircases that lead to the beautifully decorated upper floors.

    
  • Cruz Verde

    Cruz Verde  LH 3

    The corner of Amargura and Mercaderes is known as Cruz Verde (Green Cross) due to a green-painted cross affixed to the northwest-facing cornerstone. The cross is one of twelve that were to be found al …

    Alameda de Paula

    Alameda de Paula  LH 3

    The construction of the Alameda de Paula, one of Havana’s first promenades, was commissioned by Captain General Felipe de Fondesviela, member of the court of King Carlos III, and built by architect An …

    Fachada del Teatro Fausto

    Fachada del Teatro Fausto  LH 3

    Built in 1915, it was reconstructed and remodeled in 1938 according to a project which was awarded the Gold Medal by the National Architects’ Association. Its pure Art Deco façade is faced with a mixt …

    Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras

    Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras  LH 3

    The Hermanos Ameijeiras hospital opened on December 3, 1982. In the late 1950s the dictator Batista planned the construction of a new building for the National Bank of Cuba on the grounds where the Ho …

    Casa de Dionisio Velasco

    Casa de Dionisio Velasco  LH 3

    Built in 1912, the building was conceived as a grand palace. Lavishly ornamented on its facade, it features overhanging balconies and windows which break the horizontal line of the balustrade. This mo …

    Edificio del Retiro Odontológico

    Edificio del Retiro Odontológico  LH 3

    In 1953, architect Antonio Quintana won the competition for the design of a building which would house doctors’ offices, stores and other public spaces. The use of brise-soleil, popularized by the Fre …

    Calle San Lázaro

    Calle San Lázaro  LH 3

    Stretching 14 blocks, this street takes its name from the San Lázaro Hospital built in 1746. It was s=successively renamed as Calle Ancha del Norte, Calle del Basurero, Avenida Antonio Maceo and Aveni …

    Fuente de los Leones

    Fuente de los Leones  LH 3

    Designed in 1836 by Italian artist Giuseppe Gaggini, the Carrara marble Fuente del Conde de Villanueva is popularly known as “Fuente de los Leones” for its four lions, one to each corner, resting on p …

    Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Parroquia del Vedado)

    Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Parroquia del Vedado)  LH 3

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    Museo del Chocolate

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    Although calling this place a museum is an overstatement, there are some intriguing artefacts relating to the history of chocolate production in Cuba. More appropriate would be to call it Café Fábrica …

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