On the north side of the Parque Céspedes a brilliant-white building is facing the cathedral; it is the old town hall.

closed to public

The building has two levels with an interior patio that is surrounded by galleries, covered with Creole tiles. A third level in the center of the front serves as viewpoint. Continuous balconies, Spanish-style wooden doors with nails and a facade with columns and arches are other characteristics of the building.

During the establishment period of the town Santiago de Cuba, a house was built by Diego Velázquez on the north side of the current Parque Céspedes in 1515. It functioned as his residence, as well as an organ of the government and the administration (Casa del Gobierno). In fact, this building was built to become independent from the governor of Santo Domingo, because at that time Cuba was ruled from outside by the King of Spain and the Council of Indies, but from the interior by the governor of Santa Domingo. Many personages and captains of those who arrived in Santiago de Cuba, stayed in this house. It was used also as the mayoral office by Hernán Cortés Monroy, the first mayor of the city and also the husband of the sister-in-law of Diego Velázquez. 

Such a council house (ayuntamiento) is considered the first in the history of Cuba and the second in the whole America. The first building was constructed by cuje (long, flexible stem of a plant after its leaves has been removed; it was used to gather tobacco) and its roof by guano. The adjoining prison and the hospital were moved to other places of the city in 1776. This town house was reduced to ruins by an earthquake. The walls were rebuilt by stone and mud, and tiles were used for the roof. In 1830 the house was rebuilt by using bricks and tiles. In next years, the building underwent several transformations, so that Mayor Luís Casero ordered the construction of a new building (the current one) in 1952. The present building that was inaugurated by Mayor Maximo Torres in 1954, is a copy of the first house, adopted from old plans of the 18th century (the design of 1783) by Francisco Prat Puig. The building was destined to the Governor’s Palace, but it had never come true.

On 31 December 1901, the mayor Emilio Bacardí Moreau hauled down the American flag from the mast at the central balcony and raised the Cuban flag. In its memoriam, at 24:00 of each December 31, a huge Cuban flag about 18 meters long is hung on the balcony of the building in accompany of twelve chimes of the cathedral (flag feast).

In fact, this building is known by the Cubans to be the site from where Fidel Castro spoke to the town for the first time and proclaimed the victory over the regime of Batista on January 1, 1959 (Day of the Triumph of the Revolution). For his speech, he used the balcony overlooking the park.

In 1984, on occasion of the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Triumph of the Revolution, Fidel Castro made a speech from the same place, awarding Santiago de Cuba the honorary titles of Hero City of the Republic of Cuba and the Order of Antonio Maceo Grajales. These plaques are hung on the façade of the building.

Since its foundation, the name of the town hall has changed several times according to different historical periods, such as cabildo (town hall), city hall (Palacio Municipal), town hall (alcaldia), municipal commissioner (Comisionado Municipal), and the Coordination of Execution and Inspection Boards (JUCEI, las Juntas de Coordinación Ejecución e Inspección).

Currently this National Monument is not open to the public; it is used by the state institution Municipal Assembly of People's Power (Asambleas Municipales del Poder Popular).