Finished in 1930, the Edificio Bacardi was the largest building in Havana at the time, made to be the headquarters of the rum company. Founded in Santiago de Cuba in 1862 during its time as a Spanish colony, the Bacardi company used Cuba’s status as the Caribbean's largest sugar producer to produce their world-famous rum, all the way until the American occupation of the country. Capitalizing on wealthy Americans who would visit Cuba for the alcohol and parties, Bacardi was highly successful in selling its wares during this time period. Their headquarters facade possesses influences of Cuban modernism and having been built in the popular Art Deco style, it is almost shaped like a ziggurat!

Despite the Cuban Revolution that seized Bacardi’s assets and led them to relocate, the building itself still stands, and is still functional. Its grand façade of golden tiles, red granite, brass with terracotta nymphs still stands beautifully in Old Havana. The bat of the Bacardi logo can be found on the top of the building in bronze, while bat motifs are still prevalent inside the building, along with other familiar art deco furnishings of wood and geometric tiles, all of which pay tribute to its past as Bacardi’s previous headquarters.

Unfortunately, as the building is currently used as an office building, visitors aren’t allowed inside on most days, but there is a lovely cafe and bar (of course not serving any Bacardi) on the first floor, where you can admire part of the interiors.