Plaza de la Revolución, one of the most iconic, politically important sites in Havana, dates back only as far as the 20th century (it was begun under President Batista and completed in 1959, the year Fidel Castro came to power). The large square has hosted many huge rallies and events, from numerous speeches by Castro to a mass given by Pope Francis in 2015. Ringed by government buildings (including the one that bears the oft-photographed visage of Che Guevara), the center of the plaza itself is marked by a 109-meter-tall (358-foot-tall) monument, which contains a museum and an observation platform. The former is worth visiting to learn more about Cuban history; the latter for its stunning views of the capital.
