Havana Cuba - Opulent Old Havana in Cuba

World Heritage Site exemplifies one of the finest Spanish colonial cities in the Americas

Old Havana exemplifies one of the finest Spanish colonial cities in the Americas.

During a recent vacation in Cuba, we stepped back in time to discover Havana’s colorful past of opulent royal palaces, graceful plazas, and sculptured colonnades. Churches and monasteries inspired leisurely walks and wondrous explorations.

We slept on the edge of “Habana Vieja” (Old Havana) at the Inglaterra, the oldest hotel in Havana. Celebrities such as Sara Bernhart once patronized this neoclassical hotel, as did spies and war journalists who congregated here during the Spanish-American War. Its mosaics, decorative ceilings, stained glass windows, lace ironwork and skylights represent grandeur of days gone by.

Across the street is the Gran Teatro de la Havana, the oldest operating theatre in the western hemisphere, and nearby, the magnificent Capital Building commands a visit. From our little balcony, we viewed Havana’s main thoroughfare bustling with vintage 1950s taxis, and Parque Central, featuring a huge marble statue of Jose Marti, Cuban hero and writer.

After breakfast, we strolled the 18thcentury Paseo del Prado’s shady marble promenade. The Prado is especially picturesque on Saturdays when couples marry at the decorative Matrimonial Palace, once Casino Espanol. The Prado extends to the Malecon, a scenic seaside walkway. At the corner, a wealthy merchant’s mansion, now the National Music Museum, exhibits vintage musical instruments. Nearby, a yellow and red flag identifies the Spanish Embassy, formerly the art nouveau Palacio Velasco.

We soon arrived at Plaza de Armas, the Americas’ oldest existing fortress which overlooks Havana Bay. Encircled by a moat and thick coral block walls, Castillo de la Real Fuerza was built on the site of an earlier fort destroyed by French privateers in 1555.

A few steps away, El Templete, a neoclassical chapel, commemorates the founding of Havana in 1519. The first mass was celebrated here under a sacred ceiba tree. Adjacent, the 18thcentury Palacio de los Condes de Santovenia is now the five star Hotel Santa Isabel.

For 400 years, Plaza de Armas was the center of authority and power. Used for military exercises in the 16thcentury, it’s now a peaceful plaza surrounded by shady trees. In the center, a marble statue honors Carlos Manual de Cespedes, who started Cuba’s move toward independence in 1868. From nearby Cafe Mina, we sipped rich espressos while being immersed in plaza activity.

In the shadow of the majestic baroque Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, our guide Marvin pointed out a unique “cobble wood” street. “For centuries, government business was conducted in this palace. Wooden disks, rather than cobblestones, were installed to mute the rattle of carriages.” We entered the large sunny courtyard and ascended the marble stairway to terraced floors above. At the City Museum, its opulent rooms display antique furnishings, china, fans, weaponry, and portraits of Cuban patriots. Only recently, Spanish royalty has been granted a visit to the preserved throne room.

Sauntering southward brought us to Plaza de San Francisco de Asis, notable for its Fountain of Lions and Saint Francis de Asisi Monastery, now a concert hall. Constructed in 1608, the monastery was later rebuilt in the baroque style and boasts Havana’s tallest bell tower.

Just beyond lies the 16thcentury Plaza Vieja. The surrounding buildings were revitalized in 2000. Like many aristocratic mansions, Casa de los Condes de Jaruso (1737) has become a classy gallery. Cardenas, a Cuban literary great, was its most famous resident. Once used for military exercises and open air markets, uniformed school children now sing and play in the square.

Cathedral Plaza is an extraordinary site. San Cristobal’s Cathedral, with its two unequal towers, dominates the square. In 1859, author Richard Henry Dana wrote, “There is a look of old Spain about it; and you think that knights and nobles worshipped here and enriched it from their spoils and conquests.” This image resonates still.

Reflections of the glittering past can also be seen in the grand colonial mansions surrounding this plaza. Casa de Lombillo (1618), named for the owner who made his fortune in the slave trade, exhibits beautiful interior balconies and baroque arches. Palacio de los Condes de Casa Bayona (1720) displays a fine collection of colonial furniture and decorative arts. The Palacio del Marques de Arco (1746) is being restored as a hotel with an off-plaza main entrance. Its balconied front will face an existing two-story mosaic mural that depicts the Palacio as it was, hosting elegant colonial aristocrats.

Palacio de los Marqueses de Aquas Claras has evolved into the popular El Patio Restaurant, offering a shady courtyard and plaza seating. After sunset, we found the cathedral towers transformed by soft lighting as warm breezes softly caressed. Musicians and costumed dancers entertained while we sipped the best Cuba Libres—a powerful rum drink—in town. Following a typical Cuban dinner we enjoyed a romantic carriage ride trotting back along the Prado to Hotel Inglaterra.

Attracted to “Habana Vieja”, we rambled cobblestone streets once busy with horses and carriages for several intriguing days, immersing ourselves in the city’s picturesque past.

Author: Rick Millikan and Chris Millikan