152 Oficios St. on the corner of Mercaderes St., Old Havana ,
Havana, Cuba
(+53) 78011190
yes
About
Palacio San Felipe y Santiago de Bejucal
The actual full official (not exactly snappy, but charming) name for this brand new (Nov. 2010) hotel is "Palacio del Marqués de San Felipe y Santiago de Bejucal Hotel".
History, and modern facilities are combined in this beautiful building which originally belonged to Don Sebastián de Peñalver at the end of the 18th century and which passed onto the successors of the 4th Marques de San Felipe and Santiago at beginning of the 19th century.
The interior minimalist decor of the hotel contrasts with the baroque design of the hotel’s façade and makes the building unique on the St. Francis of Assisi Square. This new hotel, a gem in the heart of the heart of Old Havana, is lucky to be just a few meters away from the St. Francis of Assisi Convent where you can listen to some of the best choirs and chamber music concerts in the city.
From the hotel’s terrace, at the top of its six floors, you can enjoy the atmosphere of one of the main squares in the heart of the city with the Carrara Marble carved fountain Fuente de los Leones sculpted by the Italian artist Giuseppe Gaggini.
Plaza de Armas, Habana Vieja
The Templete
The Templete, a small neo-classical style construction, was built in the second half of the 18th Century. It is located in Plaza de Armas. This was the site where the first public mass was celebrated and also the site of the first town council of the nascent town of San Cristóbal de La Habana. The Templete resembles a Doric temple and houses three commemorative canvasses by the famous French painter Juan Bautista Vermey. One of the walls exhibits the plate that declares Old Havana a World Heritage Site.
Teniente Rey y Villegas, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje Church
The Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje Church is a simple yet charming church. It is located in Plaza del Cristo Square, on the western side of Old Havana, away from the city center and tourist areas. The structure of the church is intriguing because of the simplicity of its towers and of its lateral façades, in complete harmony with the character of the works of the 17th century. The church was built in 1732 in the same place where previously there was a Franciscan shrine. Nowadays it has only partially been restored, with its beautiful stained glass windows and brightly colored ceiling being very noteworthy qualities. Inside the church, the image of Jesus on the Cross among travelers and sailors became very popular because it was thought to keep people from harm. On Good Fridays the processions left from the Convento de San Francisco de Asís and ended at the Iglesia del Cristo. The dimensions of the plaza were planned according to the processions that were to take place in it, marking the end of the fourteen crosses or Stations of the Cross. The Plaza del Cristo Square is an ideal place if you want to get far from touristy areas and to witness what real Cuban life is like.
Oficios, e/ Amargura y Churruca, Habana Vieja
San Francisco de Asís Square
This square dates back to the first half of the 17th century. Its location, just a few metres from the bay, led to it becoming an important trading square over the years. It is said that around the year 1600 the first fountain of the city could be seen at this square. In 1836 it was replaced by a beautiful fountain made of white Carrara marble by Giuseppe Gaggini, under the good auspices of the Villanueva Count. This fountain is called Fuente de los Leones (Lions Fountain). On its paved area stand two noteworthy buildings: the Monastery and Basilica of San Francisco de Asís, which today houses the Museum of Religious Art and a concert hall. It is also where the Lonja del Comercio (Chamber of Commerce) is located, inspired by Spanish Renaissance architecture and topped by a dome on which a sculpture of the god Mercury stands. Among the houses built around the plaza, the house of the Arostegui family, residence of the Captain Generals until the completion of the City Hall at the end of the 18th century, was erected.
San Ignacio No.61 (Plaza de la Catedral), Habana Vieja, La Habana
Colonial Art Museum
The Museo de Arte Colonial (Colonial Art Museum) is housed within the oldest construction in Old Havana, the Condes de Casa Bayona Palace, a mansion rebuilt in 1720 by Cuban Governor, Don Luis Chachón. The palace’s Classical patio and coffered ceiling made intricately of wood stand out within this construction. The palace boasts a wonderful location, right in front of the San Cristóbal de La Habana Cathedral. This small museum has a Colonial furniture and decorative art exhibition, amongst which will stand out some pottery with Colonial Cuba motifs, as well as several scenes of Colonial dining rooms and a fantastic collection of ornamental flowers.