Casa-Museo Simón Bolívar

CA3
Art Gallery / Studio
CA Ranking: 3
Open: 9am-5pm Tues-Sun
Admission: Free
Mercaderes #156, e/ Obrapía y Lamparilla, Habana Vieja
  • Housed in a former colonial mansion built from 1806 to 1817, the Casa-Museo del Libertador Simón Bolívar is dedicated to honoring the “Great Liberator” who led the Latin American nations’ independence movement. It’s funded by the Venezuelan government, for whom native son Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) is the preeminent national hero. Bolívar stayed in this house during a visit to Cuba in March 1799.

    The ground floor has detailed displays on his life and work, and there are also three art galleries with works by Cuban and international artists. The upper floor, with its splendid tinted-glass windows and curved iron and marble banister, has contemporary Venezuelan and Latin American paintings, sculptures and literature.

    The house faces tiny Plaza de Bolívar, where a lifesize bronze statue of “El Libertador” stands atop a plinth beneath shade trees.

    Opening hours: 9am-5pm Tues-Sat; 9am-1pm Sun

    
  • Calle Mercaderes

    Calle Mercaderes  LH 3

    One of the busiest streets in Old Havana, second only to Obispo, Mercaderes runs north-south parallel to and two blocks inland of Avenida del Puerto, linking Plaza de la Catedral with Plaza Vieja. The …

    Convento e Iglesia de Santa Clara de Asís

    Convento e Iglesia de Santa Clara de Asís  LH 3

    The concern of Havana’s best families over the fate of their unmarried daughters led to the construction of this convent, which would eventually become the first nunnery in Cuba. Construction works be …

    Hotel Inglaterra

    Hotel Inglaterra  LH 3

    The original nucleus of the hotel dates back to 1856 and was later expanded in 1891 with the addition of two adjacent properties. The last floor was built in 1915. This is Cuba’s oldest hotel and has …

    Calle 23

    Calle 23  LH 3

    Calle 23, or 23rd Steet, is a central, busy street in El Vedado district. It begins at the sea and ends in a river, the Almendares. Its first five streets, from Malecón to L Street are known as La Ram …

    Casa de los Árabes

    Casa de los Árabes  LH 3

    This ethnographic museum dedicated to Islamic cultures founded in1983 displays modest exhibitions on Islamic textiles, carpets, clothing, weapons, ceramics and furniture. The museum is housed in two e …

    Droguería Johnson

    Droguería Johnson  LH 3

    Tragically, after being beautifully restored by the City Historian’s Office, this pharmacy caught fire on March 16, 2005. Shelves, counters, the façade woodwork, porcelain ornaments and laboratory app …

    Hotel Habana Libre

    Hotel Habana Libre  LH 3

    Located on the famous corner of 23 and L streets, the Habana Libre Hotel, with its 25 floors and 630 spacious rooms, stands majestically and offers an incomparable view of the bay. The building occupi …

    Parque de los Mártires Universitarios

    Parque de los Mártires Universitarios  LH 2

    This cement park was built in 1967 to honor university students involved in Cuba’s independence struggles. The most notable element, located by the most important entrance, can be interpreted a fist, …

    Casa del Científico (Casa de José Miguel Gómez)

    Casa del Científico (Casa de José Miguel Gómez)  LH 2

    The compact yet extravagant Beaux Arts building on the northwest corner of Prado and Trocadero was once the residence of Cuba’s second president, José Miguel Gómez, known as ‘El Tiburón’ (The Shark). …

    Museo Farmacia Taquechel

    Museo Farmacia Taquechel  LH 2

    This townhouse was adapted in 1898 into a pharmacy by Francisco Taquechel. Restored and reopened in 1996, it functions as pharmacy and museum. Its collection includes 19th-century French porcelain apo …

    « 18 of 22 pages »