The Maqueta de la Habana is a 1:1,000 scale model of Havana. Get oriented to the city with this amazing overview. See many of the town’s famous landmarks re-created in miniature.
Stretching beyond Rio Almendares in the west and Rio Cojímar in the east, the model shows not only the city’s current layout, but also its development over time. Look for the original colony in brown, modern development through the Batista presidency in ocher and post-revolutionary development after 1959 in a cream color.
The mockup is one of the largest of this type in the world. Its 39 square panels weigh 6 tons (5.4 metric tons) and the model is roughly 72 feet (22 meters) long by 33 feet (10 meters) wide. Use spotting telescopes to inspect the neighborhoods of Havana and look for major landmarks. The incredible detail includes specific streets and avenues, sculptures in parks, monuments, beaches and coastline and even streetlights and traffic signals.
Gaze at the scale model of the Capitolio Nacional with its striped dome and wings with curved walls. Look for spires of cathedrals spread across the city. Imagine the busy harbor activities beyond the lighthouse of the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro.
There is a small entry fee to see the display. You may be charged an additional fee to take photos. Check with locals or your hotel about when the display is open. Return after you’ve seen the sights of the city to appreciate all of Havana at one glance.
Visit the Maqueta de la Habana early in your Havana trip to help with navigating your planned itinerary. The model is in the Miramar region of Havana, west of Old Town. To see a 1:500 model of Old Town Havana, visit Maqueta de la Habana Vieja, which includes a simulated day with sounds of the city before the sun sets and the lights of Old Town come on.
