Alicia García Santana

Alicia is a Cuban researcher, historian, and essayist. Member of the Cuban Committee of the UNEAC (National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists), of the National Commission of Monuments and of ICOMOS. National Prize for Cultural Heritage for lifetime achievement in 2019.

She holds a degree in Letters from the Central University Marta Abreu of Las Villas (1971) and a doctorate in Art Sciences from the University of Oriente (1986). She is the author of an extensive body of work on the history of housing and urbanism in Cuba, subjects on which she has published several books both within and outside Cuba.

In 1971 she graduated with a degree in Letters from the Central University of Las Villas and from that moment on dedicated herself to the study and conservation of Cuban historical heritage. From 1971 to 1982 she directed research on the historic center of Trinidad, and between 1979 and 1982, the conservation and restoration actions carried out in that city.

Starting in 1982 she began working in the Cultural Heritage Directorate of the Ministry of Culture, where she oversaw the completion of the National Inventory of Monuments. She was the principal author of the text presented to UNESCO for the declaration of Trinidad as a World Heritage Site.

In 1986 she obtained her doctorate in Art Sciences from the University of Oriente, under the mentorship of emeritus professor Francisco Prat Puig, and in 1987 she began working with the Heritage Team of the city of Matanzas.

In 1989 the Academy of Sciences of Cuba granted her the rank of Senior Researcher, and since then she has worked in that organization at the Environmental Services Center of Matanzas at CITMA.

She is an adjunct of the Faculty of Construction at the Central University of Las Villas and was a permanent professor of the Master's program on the History of Latin American Architecture and Urbanism at the National University of Tucumán (Argentina), as well as a member of the UNESCO chair of the defunct CENCREM (National Center for Conservation, Restoration and Museology), where she periodically offered postgraduate courses.

She periodically offers courses, lectures, and master classes at different research centers and universities in Latin America, the United States, and Spain.

She has served as an opponent, advisor, or member of examination boards for degree exercises and scientific degrees and national competitions. She has also worked as an advisor for the conservation of historic centers in various cities in Cuba and Latin America.

In 1995, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation awarded her a fellowship to conduct a study on Hispanic-influenced housing in the Caribbean.

In 2003 she was a "guest scholar" of the Getty Foundation in Los Angeles (California), with the purpose of expanding bibliographic studies on housing in the Caribbean.

The National Prize for Cultural Heritage for lifetime achievement in 2019 is a recognition of a long trajectory that began when she decided to change careers upon meeting Dr. Francisco Prat Puig and defining that the history of houses would be the objective of her life. She directed research on the Historic Center of Trinidad (1971-1982) and the reconstruction-restoration actions of that city (1979-1982); she worked in the National Heritage Council with Marta Arjona (1982-1987), and already as a Doctor in Art Sciences and Senior Researcher, she worked until her retirement with the Heritage team of the city of Matanzas.

Published Works
Trinidad in Cuba. In collaboration with Teresita Angelbello and Víctor Echenagusía. Quito (Ecuador): Abya Yala, 1996.
Cuban Counterpoint of the Arch and the Post. Havana: Cuban Book Institute, 1999.
Havana, History and Architecture of a Romantic City. In collaboration with Zoila Lapique and María Luisa Lobo. New York (United States): Monacelli Press, 2000.
Architecture of the Cuban House. La Coruña (Galicia): University of La Coruña, 2001.
Trinidad of Cuba. City, Plazas, Houses and Valley. Havana: Ministry of Culture, 2004.
Architecture of the Cuban House, Colony and Eclecticism. La Coruña (Galicia): University of La Coruña, 2005.
The First Settlements of Cuba. Guatemala: Polymita Editions, 2008.
Matanzas: the Athens of Cuba. Guatemala: Polymita, 2009.
Thirty Wonders of Cuban Architectural Heritage. Guatemala City: Polymita, 2012.

At this moment she is preparing the first volume of a trilogy dedicated to the courtyard house, a masterwork of 50 years of research, continuous work, and absolute dedication.

Awards and Distinctions
Medal for the Twentieth Anniversary of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba.
Medal for the Twentieth Anniversary of the University of Matanzas.
Medal for Merit from Tadeo Lozano University of Cartagena de Indias (Colombia).
Distinction for National Culture (2005).
National Research Prize from the Academy of Sciences of Cuba (2005).
Adopted Daughter of Matanzas (2007).
Publication Prize from the National Architecture Salon (2008).
National Prize for Cultural Heritage (2019)