Havana Cathedral, Havana. Cuba
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- San Ignacio y Empedrado, Old Havana. Cuba
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- Destination: Havana
Rating Havana Cathedral
Havana Cathedral. It is a Catholic temple located in the heart of Old Havana, in the oldest area of the city, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982 and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception. It is the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Havana.
Havana Cathedral Map
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Havana Cathedral is located in Havana
Capital of Cuba and the country's administrative, political, cultural and scientific center, it is also the capital of two provinces: City of Havana and Havana. Though only around 280 square miles (727 square kilometers) in size-0.65 percent of the archipelago's total area.
The Old Havana and system of forts led UNESCO to declare it a part of world heritage in 1982. Founded on its present site in 1519, the settlement of San Cristobal de La Habana prospered mainly due to its bay, which was a natural port of call for ships sailing to and from the New World. Starting in 1634, because of its strategic location, San Cristobal de La Habana was considered the key to the New World-as attested to by royal letters patent-and the main defense of the West Indies.
The Cuban capital consists of an immense number of buildings in a wide range of architectural styles, built in the course of nearly five centuries. These styles range from the pre-baroque to the baroque, neo-Gothic, neoclassical, eclectic, art noveau and art-deco, to the modern.
Alejo Carpentier, one of Cuba's most famous authors, called it "the city of columns" and focused attention on its streets, which he considered a perennially rich show of life, humanity and contrasts that was bound to entertain any observer.
Over 14 kilometers of excellent beaches lie to the east of the Cuban capital. To the south, a green belt contributes to a healthful atmosphere.
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Cathedral
It is the greatest example of the so-called “Cuban baroque style,” that was developed in Cuba at the beginning of the 18th century. Its construction started in 1748 and was stopped in 1767, when its managing agency, Compañía de Jesús (Jesus Company) was expelled from Spain and overseas territories –of course, Havana included--. Short time later, it was agreed to continue building it to transfer the Main Parish to such place. The construction finished in 1777, and it was given the rank of Cathedral in 1787. For over 100 years-from 1796 to 1898-the body of Christopher Columbus lay in a mausoleum here.
This was the last one of the main squares to be built. During the second half of the XVI century, some neighbors built their houses in this area and named it the swamp, because this is where the waters coming from the city gathered before going into the sea. It is therefore that the first running water system in Havana, Zanja Real, would relieve its waters through a whole on the wall of the square, at a place today known as El Chorro (The Stream), where there is currently a commemorative plate. This square became one of the main places of the city during the XVIII century, wealthy families of Havana’s high society started then to build mansions that can still be seen in the area. Its aspect changed completely, and its name became Cathedral Square after the outstanding Church of Jesus was built on one of its sides. In the XX century, constructions took place in the square, as well as some restoration work considering the city planning work of a French man known as Portier, who earned the credit for the flower on the pavement. The Cathedral Square is a charming and monumental place, inseparable from the soul of the City of Havana.
“Looks great from the outside ”
As you enter the square you can see the Cathedral and it has an old world charm. It takes about three steps to get inside and sadly for me the charm disappeared. Most of the pews are cut off to prevent visitors from sitting down and there was little to see.
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