The Capitolio Nacional (National Capitol of Cuba) was commissioned by Cuban president Gerardo Machado and built from 1926 to 1929 under the direction of Eugenio Rayneri Piedra. The emblematic building served as the seat of the Cuban government until the Cuban Revolution nearly three decades after its construction. The building boasts a large dome that dominates the Havana skyline, drawing comparisons to the United States Capitol. Inside lies the third largest indoor statue in the world, the magnificent La Estatua de la República that stands 49.5 feet (15 meters) tall, sculpted and designed by Italian contemporary artist Angelo Zanelli. Some of El Capitano's most prized possessions include the historic gallery known as the Sal ón de los Pasos Perdidos, where a 25-carat diamond that marks the city center, in what is now the headquarters of the Cuban Academy of Sciences. The book is a virtual tour of this jewel of Cuban architecture and also combines the history of its origins, architectural and decorative styles used in its construction, aspects of ornamentation, the meaning of sculptural works located there, as well as similar buildings in the world and more.