Good beautiful PINMAPPLE community.
This time I am walking through Old Havana and my destination is the Plaza de la Catedral, a Havana corner that fuses architectural beauty with a palpable historical value, this is undoubtedly one of the main Havana sites, so join me to discover what this beautiful square brings....
Let’s start!!
This square, one of the four that make up the colonial heart of Old Havana, is connected to the historic streets that surround it. Walking through its cobblestones means that you can’t help but marvel at the richness of its past. This has witnessed historical, political and social events that have left their mark on each cobblestone.
It was always the meeting point for artisans, merchants and creators of all artistic and literary manifestations. Its attractive and harmonious atmosphere makes it the ideal place to exchange ideas and immerse yourself in this vibrant Habana culture.
As I walk through this space full of history, I feel part of a tradition that endures in every architectural detail and in the murmur of its stones. This cathedral square is not only a place, it is an experience that captures the essence of Old Havana.
Museum of Colonial Art
Crossing the Cathedral Square, I find myself at the Museum of Colonial Art, inaugurated in 1969. This cultural treasure occupies one of the most significant buildings of the architectural complex that surrounds the square, declared a World Heritage Site.
This museum, located in a building built in 1720, stands out for having one of the most proportionate facades of Cuban colonial architecture. Its original simplicity is revealed in the symmetrical distribution of compartments on two floors, without mezzanine, and the perfect finish with Creole tiles. This old home, the oldest preserved in the square, was a pioneer in materializing the architectural style that predominates in its surroundings.
Palace of the Marquis of Arcos
On the east side of the Plaza, the palace of the Marquis of Arcos stands imposing. Between 1741 and 1746, this majestic dwelling of the family of the Marquis of Arcos was erected as an exceptional work of his time.
Diego Peñalver y Angulo, treasurer of the Real Hacienda, materialized this residence on the ground of two demolished houses. The house, considered the most prominent of the square, evolved over time, housing the Treasury and, later, the Postal Administration and the Artistic and Literary Liceo Society.
Although the palace experienced subdivisions and deterioration, in November 2016, it was reborn as the Literary Artistic Lyceum of the capital. This colonial house, witness to centuries, is now presented as a cultural space for the creation, promotion and appreciation of Cuban art.
Víctor Manuel Gallery
On the other hand, I find the Víctor Manuel Gallery that occupies an old colonial house in the Callejón del Chorro, right in front of the Plaza and next to the famous El Patio Restaurant.
This space pays tribute to the work of the outstanding Cuban painter Víctor Manuel García, a pioneer of modern Cuban art born at the end of the 19th century. In the gallery, his emblematic works such as “Landstage” (1918), “Gray Countryside” (1927), “The Tropical Gypsy” (1929), “Inner Life” (1932) and “Two Women” are remembered, the latter highlighting the fascinating combination of Indian and European races. A cultural experience nestled in history and artistic mastery.
Also around the square you can find curious activities such as some of them seers who throw cards at you, others make braids to women, others walk with guitars and small drums playing traditional music, you also find women dressed up in dresses of those times and tobacco in their mouth, among other curiosities of this very lively square of the cathedral of Havana.
As the central point of the square and most admired we have the Holy and Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Havana, a Catholic temple that stands as a silent witness to the history of the city. This iconic place, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982, surrenders to the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception and holds the title of the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Havana.
The history of this cathedral dates back to 1748, when it initially served as the oratory of the sons of St. Ignatius of the Order of the Jesuits. However, its destiny changed, and with the course of time, it became the splendid cathedral we know today. The journey included the expulsion of the Jesuits from the New World in 1767 and the transfer of the major parish to the San Felipe Neri Oratory in 1777.
In Tuscan Baroque style, the cathedral stands with imposing bell towers and a rectangular structure of 34 x 36 meters. Upon entering, the black and white marble floor leads to an altar whose sculpture and goldsmithing, by the Italian Bianchini, were made in Rome in 1820 under the direction of the prominent Spanish sculptor Antonio Solá Llansas.
The dome, which unfolds below the side towers, is presented as an orange lighthouse visible from the surrounding buildings. This cathedral is more than an architectural monument; it is a living testimony of the faith, culture and evolution of this Cuban city.
Some specific data were extracted from wikipedia, see more here...
I hope you enjoyed this travel experience as much as I did. Maybe later you will visit these places on your own. There is always something new to discover in each place, something different to explore. I hope you live your own adventure and enjoy it as I have done.
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