CubaPLUS Magazine

The legend of the philanthropist Rosalía Abreu (1862-1930) and her mysterious Finca de los Monos continues to preside over the surroundings of the current Technological Palace installed relatively recently in the former residence of this Cuban lady, where she lived at the beginning of the 20th century accompanied for the largest captive monkey reserve in the world.

It is true, in her time, the Las Delicias property – the real name of her paradisiacal emporium – was called Finca de los monos, not without a certain mocking air and she herself was &branded as eccentric and the center of gossip.

As it is also true that prestigious personalities of science of that time knew how to see the worth of her efforts in the anthropological study and protection of animals, especially the primates that she loved so much, among them the professor of the American University of Yale Robert Yerkes .

More than 200 primates of 40 species lived with her, as well as other animals from other countries such as parrots, parrots, peacocks, a brown bear and a tiger.

Rosalía was the sister of the famous Marta Abreu, the benefactor of the central city of Santa Clara, where they were originally from. Both collaborated with the Cuban emancipatory cause and were advanced women, far ahead of their time.

They say that at Finca Las Delicias, today belonging to the Cerro municipality, Rosalía's efforts built the first zoo that is known in Cuba, which in 1915 had the scientific achievement of achieving the first birth of a baby chimpanzee in the world.

In 1924 Yerkes, an authoritative voice on the matter, affirmed that Rosalía Abreu had carried out the "greatest anthropological experiment ever carried out."

The passage of inexorable time made it possible to save a large material part of the legendary Finca de los Monos, with the original house rescued, converted into a Technological Palace that is based within the project of the Cuban state company of Informatics and Audiovisual Media Cinesoft, returned to the life in honor of the 500th anniversary of the capital. After two years of recess due to Covid-19, it will be one of the venues for the 2022 Havana International Book Fair. Congratulations!