The 109 m (358 ft) tower, designed by a team of architects led by Raoul Otero de Galarraga, is in the form of a five-pointed star, encased in grey Cuban marble from the Isla de Pinos. The design was eventually selected from various entries put forward in a series of competitions beginning in 1939. Entries included a version of the tower topped with a statue of Martí, and a monument similar to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., with a statue of Martí seated within.
The 109 m (358 ft) tower, designed by architects led by Raoul Otero de Galarraga, is a five-pointed star structure made from grey Cuban marble from Isla de Pinos. The design was selected after several competitions held between 1939 and the tower's completion. Entries included a version of the tower with a statue of Martí on top and another that resembled the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., featuring a seated statue of Martí inside.