Rutas y Andares 2024 to Explore the City of Columns

As every summer, the Rutas y Andares project returns to Havana’s Historic Center. In its 24th edition, starting on July 9, the event will feature a celebration of columns to honor the 120th birthday of the renowned Cuban writer Alejo Carpentier.

At a press conference, Katia Cárdenas, Director of Cultural Management at the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana, explained that every Friday, the Walking through Carpentier’s Havana event will take place, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the publication of his novel The Kingdom of This World. These walks will explore various areas of his work, using some of his most famous titles as a pretext.

Carpentier described Havana’s architecture as having a “style without style that, over time, through a process of symbiosis, amalgamates and establishes itself as a peculiar baroque that serves as a style.”

In this enjoyment of his writing, families will walk through spaces that allude to Carpentier’s visions of Afro-Cuban culture, the marvelous real, music, performing arts, and more.

The 505th anniversary of the founding of San Cristóbal de La Habana will have an early celebration with visits to construction works in progress. Visitors will also see restored buildings and community actions in Belén, Santo Ángel, and Campeche. These neighborhood tours will include the municipalities of Centro Habana and Guanabacoa.

This edition of Rutas y Andares, in its commitment to continue strengthening cultural values within neighborhoods, community bonds, and gender equality, has been supported by Kultura, Communication and Development (KCD ONGD), the Basque Government, and the Tecnalia Foundation.

Another important date on the calendar is the 20th anniversary of the Hispanic-American Cultural Center, which will feature a Special Route. Additionally, the Quinta de los Molinos Garden will repeat its Tuesday visits and introduce a tour of the new Renewable Energy Demonstration Center, along with a wide variety of workshops and virtual walks.

To discover with a fresh perspective and a spirit of joy

This summer, there will be offerings in architecture, literature, documentary heritage, and the fourth version of the Special Route through Havana’s colonial defensive system, now with 3D modeling and other technological resources that will allow the admiration of military architecture buildings, many of which no longer physically exist.

The two editions of the Heritage Children Guides project, the “We Are One Walk,” and the Youth Route will be distinguished by multiple opportunities for fun and learning.

Many surprises have been prepared by the team of the Office of the Historian for this occasion. With a single ticket, families will be able to enjoy all the options and take advantage of special offers and prizes. Admission is free for children up to 12 years old.

These tickets will be available for purchase at the City Museums, the Museum of Colonial Art, the Convent of San Francisco de Asís, the Quinta de los Molinos, and through La Papeleta at www.lapapeleta.cu.

At the press conference, attended by Perla Rosales, Deputy Director of the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana, the organizers announced the programming for the Amphitheater, La Maestranza, Nave Oficio de Isla, and the National Ceramic Museum.

It was also announced that, during July and August, more than a hundred workshops will be held. At the request of families, options for children under six years old have been incorporated, including dance, photography, audiovisual production, robotics, modeling, sign language, crafts, and the environment, among others.

Regarding this extensive summer program, Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler once expressed that «it has been another opportunity to be very creative, ensuring that it does not become a cliché or a boring task, by encouraging them to see what must always be discovered with a fresh perspective, with new eyes, and with a spirit of joy.»

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez