Havana (La Habana) city (state capital), education and culture - - Pictures
As the nation's capital, Havana is home to most of the country's principal educational institutions, cultural organizations, and museums. The University of Havana founded in 1728 is the city's only university. It enrolls over 15,000 students and offers degrees in most major academic and professional fields. The internationally recognized National Ballet of Cuba is based in the city. The National Symphony Orchestra performs in the stunning National Theater, which is built in a highly ornate architectural style. Significant museum collections include those of the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Havana Museum of Colonial Art, the Museum of Decorative Arts, and the City Museum of Havana. The nation's main library collections are also found in the city and include the José Martí National Library, the Rubén Martínez Villena Central Library of the University of Havana, and the National Archive.
Holidays are few and far between in Havana. Cuba's revolutionary government eliminated Christmas and other religious days from the calendar. There are only four official holidays. All have a revolutionary flavor. These are the commemoration of the Triumph of the Revolution on January 1; Labor Day on May 1; the July 26 commemoration of Castro's attack on the Moncada barracks during the Cuban Revolution; and the celebration of the start of Cuba's Wars of Independence, on October 10. However, Carnival, which is a religious festival originally associated with the Roman Catholic pre-Lenten season, continues to be celebrated in February as an important secular holiday.
