Church sights in Havana
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Iglesia Jesús de Miramar
Despite its modernity, Playa cradles Cuba's second-largest church. The Jesús is an aesthetically pleasing neo-Romanesque structure topped by a giant dome. Built in 1948, it protects Cuba's largest pipe-organ and some unusual modern murals.
reviewed
-
B
Iglesia y Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Merced
Built in 1755, this hemmed-in church was reconstructed in the 19th century. Beautiful gilded altars, frescoed vaults and a number of old paintings create a sacrosanct mood; there's a quiet cloister adjacent. Two blocks away is the rather neglected Iglesia Parroquial del Espíritu Santo, Havana's oldest surviving church, built in 1640 and rebuilt in 1674.
reviewed
-
C
Iglesia de San Francisco de Paula
One of Havana's most attractive churches, this building was fully restored in 2000. It is all that remains of the San Francisco de Paula women's hospital from the mid-1700s. Lit up at night for concerts, the stained glass, heavy cupola and baroque facade are romantic and inviting.
reviewed
-
D
Catedral Ortodoxa Nuestra Señora de Kazán
One of Havana's newest buildings, this beautiful gold-domed Russian Orthodox church was built in the early 2000s and consecrated at a ceremony attended by Raúl Castro in October 2008. The church was part of an attempt to reignite Russian-Cuban relations after they went sour in 1991.
reviewed
-
E
Iglesia del Santo Angel Custodio
Originally constructed in 1695, this church was pounded by a ferocious hurricane in 1846, after which it was entirely rebuilt in neo-Gothic style. Among the notable historical and literary figures that have passed through its handsome doors are 19th-century Cuban novelist Cirilo Villaverde, who set the main scene of his novel Cecilia Valdés here, and Félix Varela and José Martí, who were baptized in the church in 1788 and 1853 respectively.
reviewed
-
F
Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
A little out on a limb but well worth the walk is this inspiring marble creation with a distinctive white steeple, where you can enjoy a few precious minutes of quiet and cool contemplation away from the craziness of the street. This church is rightly famous for its magnificent stained-glass windows, and the light that penetrates through the eaves first thing in the morning (when the church is deserted) gives the place an ethereal quality.
reviewed
-
G
Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís el Nuevo
Still in the throes of a lengthy restoration, this unique church near Plaza Vieja was once known as the Iglesia de San Agustín. Built in 1633, it was reconsecrated in 1842 and taken over by the Franciscan order, which had recently lost its tenancy in the Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís a few blocks to the east. Thanks to its earlier incarnation under Augustine monks, the church still retains a notable Mexican flavor, including ochre pillars, intricate stained glass, haunting frescoes and a gorgeously painted inner dome.
reviewed
-
H
Iglesia de Guanabacoa
The church on Parque Martí in the center of town, is also known as the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, and was designed by Lorenzo Camacho and built between 1721 and 1748 with a Moorish-influenced wooden ceiling. The gilded main altar and nine lateral altars are worth a look, and there is a painting of the Assumption of the Virgin at the back. In typical Cuban fashion, the main doors are usually locked; knock at the parochial office out back if you're keen.
reviewed
-
I
Catedral de San Cristóbal de la Habana
Dominated by two unequal towers and framed by a theatrical baroque facade designed by Italian architect Francesco Borromini, Havana's incredible cathedral was once described by novelist Alejo Carpentier as 'music set in stone.' The Jesuits began construction of the church in 1748 and work continued despite their expulsion in 1767. When the building was finished in 1787, the diocese of Havana was created and the church became a cathedral – one of the oldest in the Americas. The remains of Columbus were interred here from 1795 to 1898, when they were moved to Seville. The best time to visit is during Sunday Mass (10:30am).
reviewed
-
Santuario de San Lázaro
The focus of Cuba's biggest annual pilgrimage lacks ostentation and is tucked away in the rustic village of El Rincón. The saint inside the church is San Lázaro (also known as Babalú Ayé; an orisha in the Santería religion), the patron saint of healing and the sick. Without irony, the large Los Cocos sanatorium housing lepers and AIDS patients is next door.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla
As important as it is diminutive, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla, which lies just behind the boat dock in the municipality of Regla, has a long and colorful history. Inside on the main altar you'll find La Santísima Virgen de Regla, a black Madonna venerated in the Catholic faith and associated in the Santería religion with Yemayá, the orisha (spirit) of the ocean and the patron of sailors (always represented in blue). Legend claims that this image was carved by St Augustine 'The African' in the 5th century, and that in the year AD 453 a disciple brought the statue to Spain to safeguard it from barbarians. The small vessel in which the image was traveling survived…
reviewed