El Capitolio

El Capitolio is Havana's most recognizable landmark — a massive neoclassical dome that has dominated the city's skyline since it was completed in 1929. Built under the Machado government as a deliberate echo of Washington D.C.'s Capitol and the Panthéon in Paris, it was designed by Cuban architect Raúl Otero and cost over $17 million at the time, making it one of the most expensive buildings in Latin America. After the Revolution, Fidel Castro repurposed it as the home of the Academy of Sciences, a symbolic rebuke to the old republic. Since 2013 it has been undergoing a landmark restoration, and by 2019 it reopened as the seat of Cuba's National Assembly — returning it, somewhat ironically, to its original governmental function.

Stepping inside is a genuine jaw-dropper. The central hall houses a colossal bronze statue of the Republic — one of the largest indoor statues in the world at nearly 17 metres tall — cast by Italian sculptor Angelo Zanelli. The dome interior is gilded and painted in extraordinary detail, and embedded in the floor directly beneath the dome's apex is a replica of a 24-carat diamond that once served as the official point from which all distances on Cuban roads were measured. The original stone was stolen in 1946, but the replica is still there and still startling. The grand staircase, marble floors, and ceremonial halls all survive in restored form, and the building functions as both working government seat and tourist attraction.

Entry is through a guided tour — visitors can't wander freely — and tours run throughout the morning and early afternoon. The entrance fee is modest by any standard, payable in Cuban pesos or CUC equivalents depending on current currency arrangements. Arrive early: tours can fill up and the building closes by late afternoon. The surrounding Parque Central and the Paseo del Prado are right on the doorstep, so this pairs naturally with a walk along the Malecón or a visit to the nearby Gran Teatro de La Habana.