Parque Central is the civic heart of Havana — the tree-shaded square that separates Old Havana from Centro Habana and that has been the city's most important public space since it was laid out in 1877. The park is surrounded by the Capitolio (Cuba's former congress building, modelled on the US Capitol), the Gran Teatro, the Hotel Inglaterra, and the Hotel Parque Central, creating an ensemble that captures the cultural and political weight of Havana at its 19th and early 20th-century peak.
The centrepiece of the park is the 1905 marble statue of José Martí — Cuba's most revered national hero, a poet and revolutionary who died in the first battle of Cuba's war of independence in 1895. The 'Esquina Caliente' (Hot Corner) in the northern part of the park is Havana's most famous baseball argument ground — dozens of men gather daily to debate Cuban baseball with a fervour that is both comic and intensely serious.
Verified Facts
Parque Central was laid out in 1877
The José Martí statue was erected in 1905
The Esquina Caliente is Havana's famous baseball debate spot
The Capitolio was modelled on the US Capitol
Get walking directions
Parque Central, La Habana
