Teatro Martí

CA4
General sightseeing
CA Ranking: 4
Dragones e/ Prado y Avenida de las Misiones, Habana Vieja

  • Elegant and simple, this Romanesque-style theater opened in 1884 as Teatro Irijoa and changed its name to Teatro Martí in 1900. Because of its location in Habana Vieja and its great acoustics, it achieved great popularity. In 1902, the theater hosted the heated debates over the Platt Amendment, having served as meeting place for several sessions of the National Assembly in charge of drafting the first Magna Carta of the Republic of Cuba.

    Many Cuban zarzuelas (musical comedies that preceded cabarets) premiered here and it became home to “teatro bufo”–satirical plays, many of which often mocked the Spanish authorities.
    After several decades in dereliction, it has recently been extensively and painstakingly renovated, and technologically brought up to date by the City Historian’s Office. It reopened in 2014.

    
  • Compañía Cubana de Electricidad

    Compañía Cubana de Electricidad  LH 1

    Made with reinforced concrete and constructed entirely as an office building, it now houses the Ministerio de la Industria Básica (Ministry of Basic Industry). Rich materials such as marble, granite, …

    Muelle de Luz-Ferry a Regla

    Muelle de Luz-Ferry a Regla  LH 1

    This tiny ferry dock takes its name from Calle Luz, a nearby street. Somewhat battered passenger ferries shuttle across the bay to and from Regla and Casablanca, every 10-15 minutes or so.

    Apartment building

    Apartment building  LH 1

    Constructed on piles–a solution that is essentially in the style of Le Corbusier, which apart from transmitting a sort of lightness to the building, makes the corner lose its traditional compactness; …

    Unión Árabe de Cuba

    Unión Árabe de Cuba  LH 1

    This is the venue of the Unión Árabe de Cuba, which represents around 50,000 Arab descendants from all over the country. It has a small art gallery which features Arab-influenced art and ceramics.

    Solimar Building

    Solimar Building  LH 1

    An interesting and typical example of the Streamline movement which preferred rounded corners and a sensation of motion can be seen in this building built in 1944. The recovery of simple forms and the …

    Palacio del Segundo Cabo

    Palacio del Segundo Cabo  

    In 1770 the Spanish Crown decided to construct a building next to the Castillo de la Real Fuerza on the north side of the Plaza de Armas to serve as the Royal Post Office, responsible for all postal c …

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