The neighborhood is located in Vedado, a very quiet and safe area that is characterized by being quite busy due to all its shops, cinemas, bars, restaurants, cafés, and the Colon Necropolis. This corner of 23rd and 12th is historic because in 1961, in front of thousands of people, Fidel Castro declared the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution after the so-called Bay of Pigs invasion, also known as the Playa Giron invasion. A sculpture was made on one of the columns of the building on one of the 4 corners from where the speech was delivered as a reminder. Days later, Cuba was plunged into the so-called "Missile Crisis." Today, the famous corner of 23rd and 12th displays a network of businesses and institutions that keep its popularity and history alive. At one of its tips is the so-called "Pelota," a portal that extends along both streets and includes a little bit of everything: a café, ice cream shop, cafeterias-restaurants, boutiques, and florists. 23rd and 12th is the gateway to the Cristobal Colon Havana Necropolis. The portals are filled with flowers from 23rd Street to the corner of 12th and Zapata. The cemetery is a Cuban architectural gem, with disparate styles and legends that have crossed the years to remain in the popular imagination. In another corner is the Cinecitta Pizzeria, an Italian food place frequented by many Cubans for its inexpensive menu. Although the quality is not the best, there are always long queues around it. A few meters from the pizzeria, you will see the building of the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), in charge of film production in the country and manager of the International Festival of New Latin American Cinema that is celebrated every year in Havana. This festival, held every December, brightens the streets of the city and 23rd and 12th is one of its main points. The institution has a film library that exhibits classic films from all times every week. There is where the Chaplin Cinema is located, a room where the premieres of Cuban films are usually held. The Servando Cabrera Gallery, next to it, complements the cultural life of the site with exhibitions of top-level artists. Right in front of the building, you will come across the Fresa y Chocolate Cultural Center, a space that honors that manifestation in Cuba and where parties, exhibitions, and events related directly to cinema are held. It is easy to recognize because it is distinguished by the posters of famous Cuban films, including the one that gives its name to the site. And if it's about cinema, you can also visit the 23rd and 12th Cinema, a few steps from the intersection, following 23rd Street. In addition to the screening of films, children's shows and activities are carried out with clowns, magicians, puppeteers, and dance companies.