The Fountain of the Americas [EN/ES]

🇬🇧 English Version:

As we cross the Calzada tunnel located at the beginning of 5th avenue in the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba, we come across the " Fountain of the Americas", an impressive work of art that forms part of the district's identity, and which welcomes us, or bids us farewell, always captivating us with its beautiful vision. ⛲

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A little bit of history:

The Miramar neighborhood was conceived to be inhabited by the aristocracy and wealthy families who lived in Cuba in the first half of the last century (under a different social system than today) so building a fountain was a wise decision to bring beauty, harmony and glamour to a neighborhood where some of the richest and most renowned families of the capital were settled.

This fountain was built in honor of Admiral Christopher Columbus, known for being the first to reach the American continent. This beautiful work in white marble has adorned the city since 1925 and its author was the American architect John Wilson.

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My visit to the place

When I arrived at the fountain I was surprised, as in these times in Cuba it is not common to see a fountain supplying water, sometimes due to problems of availability or lack of maintenance, so to find it working was a pleasant surprise!

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It is impossible to pass by and not stop to admire its design. The fountain is surrounded by an oval-shaped pond where the water gushes out of its spout from its highest point. At the top of there are four beautiful mermaids holding a large oyster shell above their heads, with their arms raised, into which the water falls, and as it fills, it slides down their beautiful bodies and faces. They all have different features, and I found them all precious, crafted with great detail and delicacy.


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The water continues its course, falling under the sea nymphs and is deposited in a base that has several pipes through which it drains into the pond. I really liked one detail, and that was the meticulous engraving of the Cuban coat of arms on the front of this base, an indisputable symbol of our identity. The surroundings of the fountain are very well kept, the place is delimited by a small wall and the lawn around it is very well pruned, besides there is a garden that adds more charm to the place.

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The whole thing looks very welcoming. There was one thing I didn't like, though, and that was that some of the walls of the fountain and the water in the pond had a dark color. I think it should be cleaned more often, as being outdoors in the middle of an avenue it is more likely to get dirty. But even so, a little dirt does not diminish its beauty at all.

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I was with my little girl that day, as we almost always do when we go for a walk, and she loved it as soon as she saw it from afar. We had to get closer and we spent a long time there, enjoying the feeling of peace and serenity that is provoked to contemplate the water.


So much for today's publication, I hope you have enjoyed this beauty of my city's architecture.

Greetings to all of you, see you next time! 😀👋



Bibliographic source: Ecured



VERSION en Español

Al atravesar el túnel de Calzada ubicado al inicio de la 5ta avenida en el reparto Miramar de la Habana, Cuba, nos encontramos con la “Fuente de las Americas”, una impresionante obra de arte que forma parte de la identidad del reparto, y que nos brinda la bienvenida, o nos despide, cautivándonos siempre con su hermosa visión.

Un poco de Historia:

El barrio de Miramar fue concebido para ser habitado por la aristocracia y las familias adineradas que vivieron en Cuba en la primera mitad del siglo pasado (bajo un sistema social diferente al actual) por lo que construir una fuente fue una decisión acertada para aportar belleza, armonía y glamour a un reparto donde se encontraban asentadas algunas de las familias más ricas y reconocidas de la capital.

Esta fuente se realizó en honor al Almirante Cristóbal Colon, conocido por ser el primero en llegar al continente Americano. Esta hermosa obra en mármol blanco adorna la ciudad desde el año 1925 y su autor fue el arquitecto estadounidense John Wilson.

Mi visita al lugar

Al llegar la fuente me sorprendí, ya que en estos tiempos en Cuba no es común ver una fuente surtiendo agua, a veces por problemas de disponibilidad o falta de mantenimiento. ¡Así que encontrarla funcionando fue una grata sorpresa!

Es imposible pasar de largo y no detenernos a admirar su diseño. La fuente está rodeada por un estanque con forma ovalada donde cae el agua que brota por su surtidor desde su punto más alto. En su parte superior se encuentran cuatro hermosas sirenas que sostienen sobre su cabeza, con sus brazos en alto, una gran concha de ostra donde cae el agua, y al llenarse resbala por sus bellos cuerpos y sus rostros. Todas tienen diferentes facciones, y todas me perecieron preciosas, elaboradas con mucho detalle y delicadeza.

El agua que continúa su curso, cayendo bajo las ninfas del mar y se deposita en una base que tiene varios caños por donde drena hacia el estanque. Me gustó mucho un detalle, y fue el grabado minucioso del escudo de Cuba en el frente de esta base, un símbolo indiscutible de nuestra identidad. Los alrededores de la fuente están muy bien cuidados, el lugar está delimitado por un pequeño muro y el césped a su alrededor está muy bien podado, además hay un jardín que le añade más encanto al lugar.

Todo el conjunto luce muy acogedor. Aunque hubo algo que no me gustó mucho, y fue que algunas paredes de la fuente y el agua del estanque tenían un color oscuro. Pienso que deberían limpiarla más a menudo, ya que al estar al aire libre en medio de una avenida tiene más posibilidades de ensuciarse. Pero aun así, un poco de suciedad no disminuye para nada su belleza.

Estaba con mi niña ese día, como casi siempre cuando vamos de paseo, y a ella le encantó desde que la vió a lo lejos. Tuvimos que acercarnos y estuvimos un buen rato en el lugar, disfrutando de esa sensación de paz y serenidad que provoca contemplar el agua.

Hasta aquí mi publicación de hoy, espero que hayan disfrutado de esta belleza de la arquitectura de mi ciudad.

¡Un saludo a todos! ¡Hasta la próxima! 😀👋

Fuente Bibliográfica: Ecured


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Es una gran fuente y como bien dices, para los que pasamos por estas avenidas es imposible no girar la cara para mirarla cuando estamos cerca, su limpieza debería ser más constante, ¡buen post!

It is a great fountain and as you rightly say, for those who pass through these avenues is impossible not to turn your face to look at it when we are near, its cleaning should be more constant, good post!

Thank you very much for your comment. I am glad you like it.

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Siento un gran placer al recorrer esta fuente a través de tus ojos, porque te has preocupado por ofrecernos esta experiencia desde distintos ángulos (hablo de las fotos, son muy buenas). De manera adicional nos cuentas con datos interesantes, el porqué esa fuente es tan maravillosa y por último, y no menos importante, nos ofreces tu experiencia en esa visita (mis cariños para Mary) y tus pensamientos. Parece ilógico que tenga agua, pero la tiene. ¡Qué lujo!

:)

I feel a great pleasure to see this fountain through your eyes, because you have taken care to offer us this experience from different angles (I'm talking about the photos, they are very good). In addition, you tell us with interesting facts, why this fountain is so wonderful and last but not least, you offer us your experience in that visit (my love to Mary) and your thoughts. It seems illogical that it has water, but it does. What a luxury!

Yes, I was very struck by the fact that it was all full of water because that was the time when we had problems here in Havana with the water supply.
I'm glad you liked the pictures!

Si, me llamo mucho la atención que estuviera toda llena de agua porque fue la época que tuvimos problemas aquí en la Habana con su abastecimiento.
Me alegra que te hayan gustado las fotografías!

La fuente es muy bonita y llamativa por su contenido artístico, también destaca sus áreas verdes alrededor, bueno como ya dices ahí vivían los que apreciaban el lujo.

The fountain is very beautiful and striking for its artistic content, also highlights its green areas around, well as you say there lived those who appreciated luxury.

Yes, very nice. Exactly, it was a neighborhood of rich people. Thanks for commenting.
Cheers

Si, muy bonita. Exactamente, era un n barrio de gente rica. Gracias por comentar.
Saludos

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Sweet post, interesting place and lovely shots to see it @jordy0827 friend!... Thanks a lot for sharing!

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This is a very beautiful and perfect place because of its historical value @jordy0827

Thank you very much, I am glad you like it!

A great work that beautifies the city @jordy0827, I love how the water looks, the mermaids holding the vases give it style and originality; no doubt a beautiful place that does not go unnoticed.

Greetings!

Thank You very much. I am glad you like it 🤗

It is a luxury to keep this fountain in working order, it is a very nice construction, I imagine it in its golden age and you will not believe what caught my attention, I see that the statues of the mermaids have a division in what is supposed to be the fish tail, I see that they look like legs. Thanks for showing this spectacular piece in your city. Greetings @jordy0827

Yes, you know what also caught my attention, they have split tails in the middle, I thought they were not mermaids, maybe they are other mythological creatures, I don't know.... Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you liked it.

Verdaderamente interesante, pues además de halagar su belleza, aparecen elementos históricos.

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¡¡¡Es una construcción maravillosa!!! ¡¡¡Con calidad!!! Quizás por eso todavía tiene agua!!! Cuba y en especial la capital tienen muchas bellezas en arquitectura, para disfrutar. Muy bien contada tu presentación, me gustó mucho. Felicidades

It is a wonderful construction!!! With quality!!! Maybe that's why it still has water!!! Cuba and especially the capital have many architectural beauties to enjoy. Your presentation was very well told, I really liked it. Congratulations

Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked it. Yes, in the capital there are very beautiful places. I imagine that each province has its own.