Parque de la Fraternidad

Parque de la Fraternidad ‘Fraternity Park’ was established in 1892 to commemorate the fourth centenary of the Spanish landing in the Americas. A few decades later, it was remodeled and renamed to mark the 1927 Pan-American Conference. The name was meant to signify American brotherhood, hence the many busts of Latin and North American leaders that have been set up around the park – including one of US president Abraham Lincoln. The ceiba tree protected by a high iron fence in the center was planted in a mixture of soil from all the countries of the Americas. Ceiba trees, the giants of jungles and savannas, have been revered as life givers throughout Latin America for centuries, from the ancient Incas to contemporary Mayas. Followers of the Santería religion also consider the trees to be sacred, due mainly to the legacy of slaves who noted their resemblance to the African baobab. Today the park is the terminus of numerous camello (buses named for their two humps) routes, and is sometimes referred to as ‘Jurassic Park’ for the plethora of photogenic old American cars that congregate here.