Havana, November 30 (RHC)-- The Caravan of Liberty, which is transporting the ashes of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, left Havana Wednesday, tracing in reverse the original route of Fidel’s victorious march toward the capital.

The funeral procession travelled through the streets of the capital, allowing Havana’s citizens a chance for a final goodbye to the man who led Cuba to independence.  From there, it will passing through 13 Cuban provinces, arriving in Santiago on December 3rd.

The procession began just hours after dignitaries from around the world paid tribute on Tuesday night to the architect of the Cuban Revolution at a massive memorial rally in the Plaza de la Revolución.

The route follows the original Caravan of Liberty which left in the early morning hours of January 2, 1959 from Santiago de Cuba, and arrived six days later in the capital where Fidel and the rebel forces were greeted by hundreds of thousands of Cubans.

The caravan's first stop will be in Santa Clara, where Fidel's ashes will be resting for one night alongside the remains of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara and his fallen guerrilla forces, at the Mausoleum built in Che's honor in that central Cuban city.

In the early morning hours on Thursday, December 1st, the funeral procession will depart for Sancti Spíritus province.