Santiago de Cuba, Ayuntamiento

(CW 2001)

On the balcony of the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) Fidel appeared on the night of January 1, 1959 to declare the success of the Cuban Revolution.

Santiago de Cuba, Parque Cespedes

Santiago de Cuba, Antiguo Carcel Provincial

(CW 2001)

Right after the failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953, Fidel Castro and other rebels were incarcerated here.

Santiago de Cuba, Aguilera No 131

Santiago de Cuba, Casa Museo de Frank y Josue Pais

(CW 2001)

Both the Pais brothers played an important role in the underground section of the M-26-7 resistance. On July 30, 1957 Frank Pais was caught by Batista's Police and killed. The museum tells the story of their life.

Santiago de Cuba, General Banderas No 226

Santiago de Cuba, Casa Natal de Antonio Maceo

(CW 2001)

On June 14, 1845, Antonio Maceo was born in this house. Inside the house is an exhibition about the highlights of his life. 

Santiago de Cuba, Los Maceos No 207

Santiago de Cuba, Cementerio Santa Ifigenia

(CW 2001)

This cemetery has been erected in 1868. A lot of Cuban heroes are buried here. First of all the mausoleum of National Hero Jose Marti is here. Other well known people who are buried here are: Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, the mother ( Maria Cabrales) and the widow ( Mariana Grajales) of Antonio Maceo, Frank and Josue Pais and their mother ( Rosario Garcia).

There is a special mausoleum for those who died during the attack on the Moncada Barracks. And of course their is a mausoleum for army men who died in honor of the Revolution for example army men who died fighting in Angola and other countries.

Santiago de Cuba, Avenida Crombet

Santiago de Cuba, Centro Urbano Abel Santamaria

(CW 2001)

During the 1970's volunteer brigades build this large housing estate of prefabricated four-story apartment blocks and schools, supermarkets, clinics and more facilities.

Santiago de Cuba, three kilometer from San Juan Hill in the direction of Baconao

Santiago de Cuba, Fabrica de Ron

(CW 2001)

You have to go here not for the rum but for the beautiful designed front of the factory with some highlights of the Cuban Revolution and the famous picture of Fidel Castro waving a rifle. 

Santiago de Cuba, Avenida J. Menendez opposite the railway station

Santiago de Cuba, Hotel Rex

(CW 2001)

Abel Santamaria and some 20 Rebels slept here the night before the attack on the Moncada Barracks.

Santiago de Cuba, Avenida Victoriano Garzon No 10, near Plaza de Marte

Santiago de Cuba, Moncada Barracks

(CW 2001)

On the morning of July 26 1953, 100 year after the birth of Jose Marti, Fidel Castro and some 119 Revolutionaries attacked Batista's troops in this building. In those days it was the second most important military garrison in Cuba. At the same time nearby Saturnino Lora Civil Hospital and Palacio de Justicia were raided by Revolutionaries. The Revolutionaries hoped the attack would be the signal for a general uprising in Cuba. In Bayamo the attack was supported by a group of revolutionaries led by Nico Lopez, who attacked another garrison of Batista's army. The attack on the Moncada Barracks failed and of the 119 Revolutionaries involved in the action, six were killed in action and 55 were murdered after their capture by Batista's troops. Fidel was caught by pure luck shortly after the attack. After Fidel was set free in in May 1955, he build a new resistance movement "M-26-7" or the "26th of July Movement", named after this famous attack. 

Today the Barracks are converted into a school and a museum dedicated to the history of Cuba from Cubans Independence until the present. Of course there is a lot of attention for the assault on the Moncada Barrcks.

Santiago de Cuba, Avenida Moncada and General Portuondo

Santiago de Cuba, Monument to Antonio Maceo

(CW 2001)

Santiago de Cuba, 

Santiago de Cuba, Monument to Julio Antonio Mella

(CW 2001)

Santiago de Cuba, 

Santiago de Cuba, Monument to the Martyrs of Bolivia

Santiago de Cuba, between Calle M and Calle 1

Santiago de Cuba, Museo de la Lucha Clandestina

(CW 2001)

A former police station, which was attacked on November 1956 by Revolutionaries in an attempt to distract the attention of Batista and his men from the landing of the boat Granma with Fidel Castro and 82 Revolutionaries in Playa las Coloradas.

Nowadays it is a museum about the underground struggle against Batista. A "must see ".

Santiago de Cuba, General Jesus Rabi No 1

Santiago de Cuba, Palacio de Justicia

(CW 2001)

This place had another important role in the Moncada Attack. During the attack it was occupied by Revolutionaries under command of Raul Castro. They provided covering fire from the rooftop of the building. Later most of the Moncada defendants were sentenced here in September 1953. 

Santiago de Cuba, Avenida de los Libertadores and Calle H

Santiago de Cuba, Palacio de Pioneros

(CW 1999)

Santiago de Cuba, Avenida Manduley at the corner with Calle 11

Santiago de Cuba, Parque Historico Abel Santamaria

(CW 2001)

Here stood the Saturnino Lora Civil Hospital, which was occupied on July 26 1953 by a group of Revolutionaries under command of Abel Santamaria during the assault of the Moncada Barracks around the corner. After the unsuccessful attack on the Moncada Barracks Fidel Castro was tried in the Escuela de Enfermeras at this site. During this trial Fidel made his famous speech "La Historia me absolvera" (History will absolve me).

Santiago de Cuba, Avenida de los Libertadores and General Portuondo

Santiago de Cuba, San Juan Hill

(CW 2001)

This is the place where the USA "defeated" Spain at the end of the Second War of Independence on July 1, 1898.

Santiago de Cuba, behind Motel San Juan (former Motel Leningrado) at the Avenida Raul Pujol next to the Zoo