Parque de la Fraternidad, visions of a miscellaneous enclave
Historic landmark, designed by Forestier and cheered up by the honks of cars, Fraternity Park has angels and demons
Written by Ortelio Rodríguez Alba alba@bellasartes.co.cu
An historic landmark characterized by artistic production and tinged by Forestier’s design and the daily honks of cars is Parque de la Fraternidad. Urban space adorned by popular lore as a place surrendered to angels and demons.
Our cycle of great construction works of the city follows with one of the most outstanding exponents of Havana’s modern urban landscape: Parque de la Fraternidad. A photographers’ attraction, location for a myriad of video clips and stage of many dramatic texts or movies, the recent Fátima (2014), this place is inspiring for many and preoccupying for others.
The truth is that diverse expressions of the Cuban identity converge in it, miscellaneous and eclectic like the events and plans which preceded its creation. The zoo project and the flight of Matías Pérez in a hot air balloon sprinkle the history of this wonderful garden, former Campo de Marte.
After the succession of intermittent functions, it wasn’t until 1928 that the area had the projection of definitive images. The renowned French architect J.C.N. Forestier (1861-1930) visited Havana and created this park of exquisite design, just two years before he died. An ensemble of large and small parks alternating with green areas, and adequate furnishings (benches and lamps) in tune with the space for resting are distinctive features of this place built for relaxation and socialization.
Not all the citizens come with such motives in mind, however they know about the motivation of its original name. El “Parque de la fraternidad americana” (The Park of American Fraternity) with more than 80 years of foundation, thus named after the 6th International American Conference organized in our country. The encircled ceiba, the closest to the Indias fountain, it was brought from Cerro. The tree was however transplanted in the park on February 24th,1928 with earth from all the American nations participating in that conference. The trace of the event and, especially, the union of the continent run across the identity of the Square or Park.
Later on, the Cuban Society of Historic and International Studies promoted the placement of busts depicting outstanding figures in the liberation of our continent, like Simón Bolívar, el Libertador; Benito Juárez, Toussaint Louverture and Bernardo O´Higgins.
The historic visions enclosed in this park are plain to see, if we pay attention to the events previously staged by the Cuban Society of Historic and International Studies and those carried out by Captain General Miguel Tacón (1834–1838). The latter erected gigantic gates, in the 19th century oriented toward the cardinal points in which Cortés, to the North; Pizarro, to the South; Tacón (in his own honour), to the East; and Colón, to the West. The present is in defence of the liberation and the past interested in perpetuating the conquest.
Translated by ESTI