The tower was built in 1925 and was initially called the Daily News
Tower housing a leading local newspaper. It was inspired by the
Giralda bell tower in Seville, Spain and the architects’,
Schultze & Weaver undertook the project. The building was
left vacant after the departure of the newspaper until 1962,
when the government converted it into a processing centre for
Cuban refugees. Over the next decade, nearly a quarter of a million
of these people arrived from Havana looking for their freedom.
However, due to the flight restrictions, another period of vacancy
was imminent, and this is the way it stands today.
Comprising a three-storey base surmounted by a 12-storey tower rising
to a 2-storey cupola, this is truly a very fine piece of architecture.
The interior boasts handmade ceramic tiles, oriental carpets and
fabulous oak doors, although parts remain un-open to the general
public. As can be expected, Freedom Tower has a massive historical
significance with the Cuban people and there are often large gatherings
around the building. The ground floor is hoped to be opened in the
near future as a museum of Cubans in Miami. If it is a little bit
of history you are looking for, then this is a good place to start
and it opens daily from 10am-5:30pm.
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