Built in 1929 as the Senate and House of Representatives, it is a replica of Rome's Capitol. This colossal building is recognizable by its dome which dominates the city's skyline.

Inside stands the largest indoor bronze statue in the world representing Pallas Athena. Behind bronze doors whose panels depict scenes from Cuba's history, lies an enormous gallery called the Hall of Lost Steps. Under the dome, there is a replica of a 28-carat diamond that marks Havana's centre (for measuring distances from the capital).

There is a lot to see if you wander around the rest of the building - the semi-circular chamber where politicians used to sit as well as the endless marble corridors and Italian Renaissance ceilings.

You can have your picture taken by one of the photographers outside of the edifice, whose cameras date from the 1920's.

In the surrounding areas of the Capitol, there are a few attractions worth visiting, among them, the Partag?s cigar factory, the Parque Central (Central Park), and the Teatro Nacional (National Theathre) with its baroque facade.