José Martí Memorial Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids José Martí Memorial

General information
Location	Havana, Cuba
Coordinates	23°07′22″N 82°23′12″W / 23.12278°N 82.38667°W / 23.12278; -82.38667 (José Martí Memorial)
Construction started	1953
Completed	1958
Height
Top floor	109 m (358 ft)
Design and construction
Architect	Raoul Otero de Galarraga (chief architect and engineer) Enrique Luis Varela and Jean Labatut (associate architects)

The José Martí Memorial (Spanish: Monumento a José Martí) is a special monument in Havana, Cuba. It honors José Martí, who is a very important national hero for Cuba. You can find it on the north side of the Plaza de la Revolución in the Vedado area.

This memorial has a tall, star-shaped tower. There's also a large statue of Martí, surrounded by six columns. Beautiful gardens are part of the memorial too. It is known as the biggest monument in the world built for a writer.

Building the Memorial: Design and Construction
Exploring the Memorial
Gallery
See also

Building the Memorial: Design and Construction

The tower is 109 meters (358 feet) tall. It was designed by a team of architects led by Raoul Otero de Galarraga. The tower looks like a five-pointed star. It is covered in gray Cuban marble from the Isla de Pinos.

Choosing the Design

People started having competitions to pick a design for the monument in 1939. Many different ideas were suggested. Some designs showed the tower with a statue of Martí on top. Another idea was a monument similar to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., with Martí sitting inside.

In 1943, a design by architect Aquiles Maza and sculptor Juan José Sicre was chosen. To build the monument, an old chapel called the Monserrat Hermitage had to be taken down. Getting the land for the monument caused delays. By 1952, when Fulgencio Batista took control of the government, construction had not yet started.

Starting Construction

Batista wanted to gain public support after taking power. So, he decided to move forward with building the monument to Martí. Instead of using the winning design, he chose the design that came in third place. This design was created by a group of architects led by Raoul Otero de Galarraga. Other architects included Enrique Luis Varela and Jean Labatut. This monument was a very important project for Raoul Otero de Galarraga.

The base of the monument was very large and deep. The heavy steel bars (rebar) needed many people to carry them. It took several days to pour the concrete for the base.

Changes and Completion

Many people were upset about the new design choice. Because of this, the design was changed soon after. The statue of Martí, made by sculptor Juan José Sicre, was originally planned for the top of the tower. Instead, it was moved to the base of the tower.

Construction of the tower began in 1953. This was the 100th anniversary of José Martí's birth. The marble for the monument came from Isla de Pinos. It was cut and polished in a factory in Havana. Sicre carved the huge marble stones one by one. Martí's quotes were added using gold glass mosaic tiles from Venice, Italy.

The area where the monument was built was known as Catalan Hill. This was because Catalan immigrants had built the Chapel of the Virgin of Montserrat there. People who lived there had to move, and they needed to be paid for their homes. This caused more delays. The chapel was finally taken down. The monument was finished in 1958, during the last days of Batista's rule.

Exploring the Memorial

The José Martí Memorial offers a lot to see and learn.

Observation Deck and Museum

At the very top of the tower, there is an observation deck. This is the highest point in Havana. You can take an elevator up and get amazing views of the whole city.

On the ground floor of the tower, there is a museum. It has two rooms filled with letters, writings, and items from José Martí's life. These displays tell his life story. A third room shows the history of the Plaza de la Revolución. A fourth room is used to display modern art.

The center of the tower holds the elevator. Its walls are decorated with famous quotes from Martí. You can also see a copy of the sword of Simón Bolívar here. This sword was given to Fidel Castro by Hugo Chávez in 2002.

Martí's Statue and Plaza

Outside, facing the Plaza de la Revolución, is a large statue of Martí. It is 18 meters (59 feet) tall and made of white marble. Sculptor Juan José Sicre carved it right there on the spot. Six half-height marble columns surround the statue.

The platform where the statue stands is used as a stage. This happens when big rallies and events take place in the Plaza de la Revolución.

Visiting the Memorial

Visitors can go up the memorial to see the best panoramic view of Havana. However, some tourists have mentioned that the fees to enter can change. Sometimes, people pretending to be staff have tried to charge tourists to climb the steps.