EL CACAHUAL
The remains of Lieutenant General Antonio Maceo and his aide, Captain Francisco Gómez Toro are buried in El Cacahual.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the first monument was erected here, which underwent several transformations until it reached its current configuration.
Due to its historical significance, El Cacahual was granted the status of National Monument on October 10, 1978.
History
The project of the first Cacahual Monument was designed by the Maceo-Gómez Remains Commission and executed by the architect Esteban Duque de Estrada. It consisted of a truncated column with a pentagonal base in the shape of an obelisk. Each edge of the obelisk coincided with the point of a star that served as the base. All of these structures stood on a circular platform reached by three steps. In the center of the star and the base of the obelisk, the urns containing the obelisks were located.
A very simple iron fence, topped with arrowheads, bordered the monument. In the area outside the fence, five palm trees were planted, following the tips of the star that forms the base of the obelisk. The stones used for the construction were all clayey, extracted from the hills known as Las Escaleras de Jaruco, which were whimsically carved, while others were transported from San Pedro, the same site where the heroes fell.
On each face of the erected truncated column a marble tablet was attached with inscriptions. Three of the inscriptions contained information about who was sleeping there, and the other two contained some words of the heroes. On one of the marble tablets it was written, "Antonio Maceo: Future generations will look back on you as a mythological hero for the prodigiousness of your exploits. On your tombstone should be written: Non Plus Ultra! // Francisco Gómez: Noble young man! Your short life can be summed up in a single word: Self-denial!", while on the other marble tablet Antonio Maceo's expression was engraved: "The ideal of my entire life, for which I have sacrificed my youth, for which I have shed my blood, for which I have suffered the miseries of emigration, and for which I am willing to die, is and always will be the independence of Cuba. We must entrust everything to our own efforts; it is better to rise or fall without help than to incur dangerous debts of gratitude.”
Unveiled on December 7, 1899 by a ceremony attended by Máximo Gómez, the first monument remained in place until 1905. During this period a new, more extensive campaign was launched to raise funds for the construction of the park surrounding the mausoleum. A windmill was installed to extract water to irrigate the plants and flowers. All these additions were completed according to the initial plan on December 7, 1900.
Máximo Gómez and his family moved their home to Calabazar, a town about 10 km away from the monument, but he didn't give up to visit the grave weekly on his horse, Zaino. The local residents saw him passing by and often stopped at Manuel Fernández's grocery store in Cruz Verde, where he would refresh himself and talked with the owner.
After the death of Gómez, the soul of that project disappeared. Five months later, a notification from the Secretary of Public Works arrived at the Santiago de las Vegas city council, informing that the first government of the Republic had received an offer of a plaque donated by the Italian people to be placed on the mausoleum in Cacahual, and consequently, orders had been given for the necessary work to be carried out for its installation.
In fact, under the pretext of erecting a plaque, the government wanted to implement a series of changes to the original mausoleum without the approval of the Municipal Government and the family of the deceased Máximo Gómez. While the family opposed any changes be made to the historical monument, they were perceived as opposing the installation of the plaque. The matter ultimately boiled down to the question of whether or not to install the plaque, and ultimately, in 1905, the central government, not yielding to dissatisfaction and protests and without consulting on the changes, decided to make the necessary changes to the monument to accommodate the plaque.
Thus transformation works began in early November of that year, and on December 7th, the original monument was completed by placing the plaque of the Italian people at its front. The five tombstones that Máximo Gómez had placed by his hands on the original monument were repositioned: one to the south, two to the east, and two to the west. The new obelisk was constructed on the existing circular platform, around which a cemented walkway was built at the level of the second step of the base, eliminating the points of the star. Atop the truncated column, a much taller obelisk with a square base was placed. All were made of cement. A new plaque, the work of Héctor Ferrari, was placed in front of the pedestal. The crypt containing the remains was left untouched.
The monument remained in this state until 1944, when the third and final surviving version of the Cacahual Monument was constructed.
In February 1944, when his government was about to expire, Fulgencio Batista visited Cacahual and spoke with the local authorities. He expressed his desire that the custody of the mausoleum to be ceded to the State, because he was planning to carry out beautification, expansion and improvement works on the monumental area.
Despite public protests, the monument was inaugurated in 1944, announcing the completion of the changes that had been implemented as decided before. However, this was a complete deception. There was nothing finished.
The relics that had been exhibited up to that point in the monument, have now been stored in the area of the gazebo, built in 1944, at the back of the monument. A small space was set aside where the work tools needed for the care of the green areas would have been stored. The Italian plaque and the marble tombstones that were removed from the monument, were kept there. They were forgotten and abandoned in a corner due to the indifference of many people. Additionally, the fate of the budget allocated for the monument's renovation was uncertain.
The new version of the monument was unveiled on October 5, 1944 and completed on December 7, 1951. It was the work of the architect Eduardo Monteulien who collaborated with sculptor Teodoro Ramos Blanco in its execution. It was a large, harmonious ensemble of squares, avenues, flowerbeds, a roundabout, and a funerary monument.
The remains of Lieutenant General Antonio Maceo and his aide, Captain Francisco Gómez Toro are buried in El Cacahual.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the first monument was erected here, which underwent several transformations until it reached its current configuration.
Due to its historical significance, El Cacahual was granted the status of National Monument on October 10, 1978.
History
The project of the first Cacahual Monument was designed by the Maceo-Gómez Remains Commission and executed by the architect Esteban Duque de Estrada. It consisted of a truncated column with a pentagonal base in the shape of an obelisk. Each edge of the obelisk coincided with the point of a star that served as the base. All of these structures stood on a circular platform reached by three steps. In the center of the star and the base of the obelisk, the urns containing the obelisks were located.
A very simple iron fence, topped with arrowheads, bordered the monument. In the area outside the fence, five palm trees were planted, following the tips of the star that forms the base of the obelisk. The stones used for the construction were all clayey, extracted from the hills known as Las Escaleras de Jaruco, which were whimsically carved, while others were transported from San Pedro, the same site where the heroes fell.
On each face of the erected truncated column a marble tablet was attached with inscriptions. Three of the inscriptions contained information about who was sleeping there, and the other two contained some words of the heroes. On one of the marble tablets it was written, "Antonio Maceo: Future generations will look back on you as a mythological hero for the prodigiousness of your exploits. On your tombstone should be written: Non Plus Ultra! // Francisco Gómez: Noble young man! Your short life can be summed up in a single word: Self-denial!", while on the other marble tablet Antonio Maceo's expression was engraved: "The ideal of my entire life, for which I have sacrificed my youth, for which I have shed my blood, for which I have suffered the miseries of emigration, and for which I am willing to die, is and always will be the independence of Cuba. We must entrust everything to our own efforts; it is better to rise or fall without help than to incur dangerous debts of gratitude.”
Unveiled on December 7, 1899 by a ceremony attended by Máximo Gómez, the first monument remained in place until 1905. During this period a new, more extensive campaign was launched to raise funds for the construction of the park surrounding the mausoleum. A windmill was installed to extract water to irrigate the plants and flowers. All these additions were completed according to the initial plan on December 7, 1900.
Máximo Gómez and his family moved their home to Calabazar, a town about 10 km away from the monument, but he didn't give up to visit the grave weekly on his horse, Zaino. The local residents saw him passing by and often stopped at Manuel Fernández's grocery store in Cruz Verde, where he would refresh himself and talked with the owner.
After the death of Gómez, the soul of that project disappeared. Five months later, a notification from the Secretary of Public Works arrived at the Santiago de las Vegas city council, informing that the first government of the Republic had received an offer of a plaque donated by the Italian people to be placed on the mausoleum in Cacahual, and consequently, orders had been given for the necessary work to be carried out for its installation.
In fact, under the pretext of erecting a plaque, the government wanted to implement a series of changes to the original mausoleum without the approval of the Municipal Government and the family of the deceased Máximo Gómez. While the family opposed any changes be made to the historical monument, they were perceived as opposing the installation of the plaque. The matter ultimately boiled down to the question of whether or not to install the plaque, and ultimately, in 1905, the central government, not yielding to dissatisfaction and protests and without consulting on the changes, decided to make the necessary changes to the monument to accommodate the plaque.
Thus transformation works began in early November of that year, and on December 7th, the original monument was completed by placing the plaque of the Italian people at its front. The five tombstones that Máximo Gómez had placed by his hands on the original monument were repositioned: one to the south, two to the east, and two to the west. The new obelisk was constructed on the existing circular platform, around which a cemented walkway was built at the level of the second step of the base, eliminating the points of the star. Atop the truncated column, a much taller obelisk with a square base was placed. All were made of cement. A new plaque, the work of Héctor Ferrari, was placed in front of the pedestal. The crypt containing the remains was left untouched.
The monument remained in this state until 1944, when the third and final surviving version of the Cacahual Monument was constructed.
In February 1944, when his government was about to expire, Fulgencio Batista visited Cacahual and spoke with the local authorities. He expressed his desire that the custody of the mausoleum to be ceded to the State, because he was planning to carry out beautification, expansion and improvement works on the monumental area.
Despite public protests, the monument was inaugurated in 1944, announcing the completion of the changes that had been implemented as decided before. However, this was a complete deception. There was nothing finished.
The relics that had been exhibited up to that point in the monument, have now been stored in the area of the gazebo, built in 1944, at the back of the monument. A small space was set aside where the work tools needed for the care of the green areas would have been stored. The Italian plaque and the marble tombstones that were removed from the monument, were kept there. They were forgotten and abandoned in a corner due to the indifference of many people. Additionally, the fate of the budget allocated for the monument's renovation was uncertain.
The new version of the monument was unveiled on October 5, 1944 and completed on December 7, 1951. It was the work of the architect Eduardo Monteulien who collaborated with sculptor Teodoro Ramos Blanco in its execution. It was a large, harmonious ensemble of squares, avenues, flowerbeds, a roundabout, and a funerary monument.
The fact that the relics of heroes were not protected made the
patriots very uncomfortable. Finally, after the visit of an
Italian Commission the Italian plaque was hung in the meeting
hall of the City Hall of Santiago de Las Vegas, and the
tombstones were placed on a wooden lectern that stood for a long
time at the entrance to the hall. These relics of patriotic and
sentimental value were unveiled at the City Hall's solemn
session on December 7, 1952, on the occasion of the 56th
anniversary of the fall of the heroes in combat in San Pedro.
The relics remained in this state until the end of the 1950s, as a photograph from 1959 proves this. However, when the municipal camp was evacuated in 1959, among other things, they removed the Italian plaque to a storage unit. It was later given to a family to live in. The family, disturbed by the "trash" on the site, finally tired of complaining and resorted to throwing the Italian plaque in the trash on 28th Street. Thus, the meaningful jewelry that the Italians had given to the Cubans in the name of friendship and to honor great Cuban heroes was thrown into the dump. Fortunately, someone noticed the plaque and it was removed to the Municipal Museum.
As for the marble tombstones, not all of those that presided over the monument could be rescued. The two that were saved are waiting in the courtyard of the Boyeros Municipal History Museum.
Monumental Area
The Maceo monument in Cacuhal is built on a slight rise in the middle of a roundabout, accessed by a staircase. Even though it seems well integrated into the rural environment, it suggests that elements of the native flora were not taken into account in the landscape design, as it is surrounded by a forest of Ficus benjamina, commonly known as the weeping fig, or Benjamin's fig, a species of flowering plant in the Moraceae family, native to Asia and Australia.
The artistic project of the monumental area, inaugurated on December 7, 1986, belongs to the renowned sculptor José Delarra and the architect Fernando Salinas González.
The green space in the square-like area is divided by side roads extending towards the center, depicting the struggle for independence reaching the capital. The circular concrete floor, approximately 73 meters in diameter, containing the sarcophagus and its surroundings, is at the very center of the approximately 50,000-meter-square area. Standing in the middle of a landscape, the pantheon gives greater grandeur and peace to the complex.
The sarcophagus is reached by climbing three steps, representing the three epic struggles for Cuban independence: the Ten Years' War, the Little War, and the Cuban War of Independence (The Necessary War). On either side of the sarcophagus are two rectangular prism-shaped structures made of white marble, with the names and birth and death years of Antonio Maceo Gtrajeles and Francisco Gómez Toro. The urn containing their remains is inside the sarcophagus. The most striking part of the sarcophagus are the reliefs on the truncated lateral columns made of white marble on either side, representing the life and death of the brave. One represents the rebellion, patriotism, and the mambi resistance, and the other represents the true Cuban people's offering to their heroes. At the top of the brackets, there are two carved bas-reliefs representing the patriots who guard this sacred place in an attitude of constant attention. Atop the sarcophagus is a bouquet of flowers, refreshed daily.
In the pergola-shaped structure at the back of the area, a map of Cuba stands out, showing how the struggle for independence spread from east to west.
The relics remained in this state until the end of the 1950s, as a photograph from 1959 proves this. However, when the municipal camp was evacuated in 1959, among other things, they removed the Italian plaque to a storage unit. It was later given to a family to live in. The family, disturbed by the "trash" on the site, finally tired of complaining and resorted to throwing the Italian plaque in the trash on 28th Street. Thus, the meaningful jewelry that the Italians had given to the Cubans in the name of friendship and to honor great Cuban heroes was thrown into the dump. Fortunately, someone noticed the plaque and it was removed to the Municipal Museum.
As for the marble tombstones, not all of those that presided over the monument could be rescued. The two that were saved are waiting in the courtyard of the Boyeros Municipal History Museum.
Monumental Area
The Maceo monument in Cacuhal is built on a slight rise in the middle of a roundabout, accessed by a staircase. Even though it seems well integrated into the rural environment, it suggests that elements of the native flora were not taken into account in the landscape design, as it is surrounded by a forest of Ficus benjamina, commonly known as the weeping fig, or Benjamin's fig, a species of flowering plant in the Moraceae family, native to Asia and Australia.
The artistic project of the monumental area, inaugurated on December 7, 1986, belongs to the renowned sculptor José Delarra and the architect Fernando Salinas González.
The green space in the square-like area is divided by side roads extending towards the center, depicting the struggle for independence reaching the capital. The circular concrete floor, approximately 73 meters in diameter, containing the sarcophagus and its surroundings, is at the very center of the approximately 50,000-meter-square area. Standing in the middle of a landscape, the pantheon gives greater grandeur and peace to the complex.
The sarcophagus is reached by climbing three steps, representing the three epic struggles for Cuban independence: the Ten Years' War, the Little War, and the Cuban War of Independence (The Necessary War). On either side of the sarcophagus are two rectangular prism-shaped structures made of white marble, with the names and birth and death years of Antonio Maceo Gtrajeles and Francisco Gómez Toro. The urn containing their remains is inside the sarcophagus. The most striking part of the sarcophagus are the reliefs on the truncated lateral columns made of white marble on either side, representing the life and death of the brave. One represents the rebellion, patriotism, and the mambi resistance, and the other represents the true Cuban people's offering to their heroes. At the top of the brackets, there are two carved bas-reliefs representing the patriots who guard this sacred place in an attitude of constant attention. Atop the sarcophagus is a bouquet of flowers, refreshed daily.
In the pergola-shaped structure at the back of the area, a map of Cuba stands out, showing how the struggle for independence spread from east to west.