Plaza de la Patria

Bayamo


This square is where Fidel Castro gave his final, rousing public speech in July 2006 before being taken ill and stepping down as president. The monument to the Cuban greats here features Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Antonio Maceo, Máximo Gómez, Perucho Figueredo and, subtly placed left of center, Fidel: it's the only monument he appears on in Cuba.

It's six blocks northeast of the bus station.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bayamo attractions

1. Torre de San Juan Evangelista

0.6 MILES

A church dating from Bayamo's earliest years stood at this busy intersection until it was destroyed in the great fire of 1869. Later, the church's tower…

2. Fabrica de los Coches

0.62 MILES

It's worth the jaunt to observe the goings-on at Cuba's only handcrafted coche (horse cart) production line. Most horse carts you'll see in Cuba are metal…

3. Museo Ñico López

0.69 MILES

This museum is in the former officers' club of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes military barracks, 1km southeast of Parque Céspedes. On July 26, 1953, this…

5. Museo de Cera

0.74 MILES

The tiny Museo de Cera, Bayamo’s diminutive version of Madame Tussauds, has convincing waxworks of Cuban personalities such as Polo Montañez, Benny Moré…

6. Casa de Estrada Palma

0.88 MILES

Cuba's first post-independence president, Tomás Estrada Palma, was born here in 1835. One-time friend of José Martí, Estrada Palma was disgraced post…

7. Ventana de Luz Vázquez

0.89 MILES

A forerunner of the national anthem, cowritten by Céspedes (and, confusingly, also called 'La Bayamesa') was first sung from here on March 27, 1851. A…

8. Paseo Bayamés

0.91 MILES

Bayamo's main shopping street was pedestrianized in the 1990s and reconfigured with benches and funky artwork. At its southern end you'll find wax museum…

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