Plaza de la Revolución

The Plaza de la Revolución

The Havana audio-guided tour leads you to the Plaza de la Revolución, one of the most history-laden public spaces of Cuba. With its some seventy-two thousand square metres, it is among the largest squares in the world.

The political centre of the country

Imagined in 1920 by the French urban planner Jean-Claude Forestier, the square was first called Plaza Cívica before taking its present name in 1961. It was the scene of gigantic gatherings from 1959, where Fidel Castro delivered his most famous speeches before immense crowds. Framed by the great buildings of power, it remains the political centre of the country. On the surrounding façades, two immense portraits capture the attention: that of Ernesto Che Guevara, accompanied by the motto "Hasta la victoria siempre", and that of Camilo Cienfuegos, added in 2009.

What there is to see

Vast and solemn, the square impresses with its dimensions and with the monumental portraits of the Che and Cienfuegos, which dominate the façades. Framed by the José Martí memorial and the government buildings, it remains the great place of political and popular gatherings, such as the Workers' Day of 1 May. It is an essential site to understand the recent history of Cuba.

Practical information

The Plaza de la Revolución is in the Vedado district, in Havana. It is a public space freely accessible at all hours and on the level; a large road crosses it. The portraits and the memorial can be contemplated freely; the government buildings that surround it cannot be visited.

Why is the Plaza de la Revolución famous?

It is the political centre of Cuba, the place of the great speeches of Fidel Castro and of popular gatherings, dominated by the portraits of the Che and Cienfuegos.

What portraits adorn the Plaza de la Revolución?

Those of Ernesto Che Guevara, with the motto "Hasta la victoria siempre", and of Camilo Cienfuegos, on the façades of the official buildings.