Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

©M G Therin Weise/Getty Images

Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

Top choice in Santiago de Cuba


Santiago's most important church is stunning both inside and out. There has been a cathedral on this site since the city's inception in the 1520s, though a series of pirate raids, earthquakes and dodgy architects put paid to at least three previous incarnations. The present cathedral, characterized by its two neoclassical towers, was completed in 1922; the remains of first colonial governor, Diego Velázquez, are still buried underneath.

The church was restored both inside and out for Santiago's quincentennial in 2015. Expect intricate ceiling frescoes, hand-carved choir stalls and a polished altar honoring the venerated Virgen de la Caridad.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Santiago de Cuba attractions

1. Museo Arquidiocesano

0.01 MILES

The Museo Arquidiocesano houses a dullish collection of furniture, liturgical objects and paintings including the Ecce Homo, believed to be Cuba’s oldest…

2. Parque Céspedes

0.03 MILES

Archetype for romantic Cuban street life, Parque Céspedes is a throbbing kaleidoscope of walking, talking, hustling, flirting, guitar-strumming humanity…

3. Casa de la Cultura Miguel Matamoros

0.04 MILES

The Casa de la Cultura Miguel Matamoros, on Parque Céspedes' eastern aspect, is the former San Carlos Club, a social center for wealthy santiagüeros until…

4. Museo de Ambiente Histórico Cubano

0.05 MILES

The oldest house still standing in Cuba, this arresting early colonial abode dating from 1522 was the official residence of the island's first governor,…

5. Ayuntamiento

0.05 MILES

The neoclassical Ayuntamiento was erected in the 1950s using a design from 1783 and was once the site of Hernán Cortés’ mayoral office. Fidel Castro…

6. Calle Heredia

0.08 MILES

The music never stops on Calle Heredia, Santiago's most sensuous street and also one of its oldest. Melodies waft from the paint-peeled Casa de Cultura…

7. Balcón de Velázquez

0.08 MILES

The alfresco Balcón de Velázquez is the site of an old Spanish fort. It offers ethereal views over the terracotta-tiled roofs of the Tivolí neighborhood…

8. Maqueta de la Ciudad

0.09 MILES

Cuba is obsessed with scale city models, and Santiago, with this incredibly detailed maqueta, is no exception. Interesting historical and architectural…