Iglesia y Convento de Santa Catalina de Siena

CA2
Church / other
Architectural style: Romanesque
CA Ranking: 2
Paseo entre 23 y 25
  • The Convent of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena moved from its former site in Old Havana to a new and prime location in El Vedado on May 13, 1918. The construction of the convent and the church lasted three years and the buildings occupied the entire block (25, 23, Paseo and A streets). The church has two domed towers in a mixture of styles that included Neo-Gothic and Romanesque.

    The church has preserved the large windows that were conceived for the sisters in perpetual cloister. The altars were made of marble and the high altar was faced with wood. It also has stained glass windows and the arched ceiling is covered with tiles. The convent was given to the Ministry of Education and is now a High School.

    
  • Escuela Nacional de Ballet

    Escuela Nacional de Ballet  LH 3

    This is the biggest ballet school in the world and the most prestigious one in Cuba, with approximately 3,000 students. The school goes back to 1931 with the creation of the Escuela Nacional de Ballet …

    Casa Museo de África

    Casa Museo de África  LH 3

    The 17th-century townhouse mansion at Obrapia #157 originally served as a shop selling snuff. Today, as the House of Africa, it displays objects of different African cultures, especially ivory carving …

    Parque Albear

    Parque Albear  LH 3

    The main attraction of this small park is an elegant life-size Carrara marble statue of engineer Francisco de Albear y Lara, sculpted in 1895 by Cuban artist José Vilalta de Saavedra. Albear dedicated …

    Palacio de la Marquesa de Villalba

    Palacio de la Marquesa de Villalba  LH 3

    One of the most majestic buildings in Havana, it was partly built on the sight of the old wall that surrounded the city, and it is said that the stones of the wall were used in its construction. It wa …

    Casa-Museo Simón Bolívar

    Casa-Museo Simón Bolívar  LH 3

    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 …

    Casa de la Comedia

    Casa de la Comedia  LH 3

    Tucked down a cobble-side street around the corner from the Depósito del Automóvil is the “House of Comedy.” Plays were first performed here in 1778. Today, it promotes new Cuban plays. Admission deta …

    Zanja Real

    Zanja Real  LH 3

    Mid-way along the west side of the Basílica Menor y Convento de San Francisco de Asís, Calle Brasil (Teniente Rey) leads south one block to Plaza Vieja. Exposed in the center of the cobbled street are …

    Casa Natal de José Martí

    Casa Natal de José Martí  LH 3

    This is a modest residence dating from the early 19th century whose fundamental worth stems from its being the birthplace of Cuban National Heroe José Martí. Architecturally, its interest lies in the …

    Memorial a las Víctimas del Maine

    Memorial a las Víctimas del Maine  LH 3

    This is a memorial in front of the Hotel Nacional dedicated to the 266 people who died when the second-class pre-dreadnought armor cruiser USS Maine sank due to an explosion in Havana harbor on Februa …

    Casa Víctor Hugo

    Casa Víctor Hugo  LH 3

    This institution is supported by donations from Ediciones Boloña, a publishing house of the City Historian’s Office. Its purpose is to make known the work of the famous French author Victor Hugo, as w …

    « 16 of 22 pages »