Havana Cathedral
Renowned for its beauty, the 18th-century Havana Cathedral (Catedral de la Habana) has been called "music cast into stone."
History
Construction on the church was started by the Jesuits in 1748, who weren't around to see it finished in 1777 — King Carlos III of Spain expelled them from Cuba in 1767.
It was consecreated as Havana Cathedral in 1789, and some of Christopher Columbus' remains were kept here between 1796 and 1898. (They are now in Seville Cathedral, Spain.)
What to See
The cathedral's Baroque facade is simultaneously intimate and imposing, and one of the two towers is visibly larger, creating a pleasing asymmetry.
The two bells in the taller, thicker tower are said to have been cast with gold and silver mixed into the bronze, giving them their sweet tone.
As with many churches in the city, the building material of Havana Cathedral includes coral, cut and hauled from the edge of the sea by slaves. Look carefully and you'll see fossils of marine flora and fauna in the stone of the cathedral.
Inside, there are copies of paintings by Rubens and Murillo on the altars and frescoes by Italian artist Giuseppe Perovanni at the top end of the choir. A fine sculpture of Saint Christopher, patron saint of Havana, dates from 1632 and was made by Martín Andújar in Seville.
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of Havana Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of Havana from space on our Havana Satellite Map.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Havana Cathedral; Catedral de la Habana; Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana |
| Type of site: | Roman Catholic cathedral |
| Dates: | 1748-77 |
| Location: | Plaza de la Catedral, Havana, Cuba |
| Phone: | 7/861-5213 |
| Hours: | Mon-Fri 9-11 and 2:30-6 |
| Mass: | Tue, Thu 8am; Sun 10:30am |
| Cost: | Free |
Sources
- Fodor's Exploring Cuba, 3rd ed.
- La Catedral - Wcities.com
More Information
- Virtual panorama of Havana Cathedral interior - WCities
- Reviews of Havana Cathedral - TripAdvisor traveler reviews
