Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

Camagüey


Any exploration of Camagüey's religious history should begin at its most important church, named for the city's patron saint. Rebuilt in the 19th century on the site of an earlier chapel dating from 1530, the cathedral was fully restored with funds raised from Pope John Paul II's 1998 visit. While not Camagüey's most eye-catching church, it is noted for its noble Christ statue that sits atop a craning bell tower. You can climb the tower for CUC$1.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Camagüey attractions

1. Casa de la Diversidad

0.04 MILES

Impossible to miss thanks to its eclectic facade (a mix of Moorish and neoclassical elements), this museum's best exhibit is the building itself. Four…

2. Parque Ignacio Agramonte

0.05 MILES

Camagüey's most dazzling square in the heart of the city invites relaxation with rings of marble benches and an equestrian statue (c 1950) of Camagüey's…

4. Casa de Arte Jover

0.08 MILES

Camagüey is home to two of Cuba's most creative and prodigious contemporary painters, Joel Jover and his wife Ileana Sánchez. Their magnificent home in…

5. Casa Finlay

0.08 MILES

Dr Carlos J Finlay (1833–1915), Camagüey's other hero, made medical breakthroughs in discovering how mosquitoes transmit yellow fever. Calling this place …

7. Plaza San Juan de Dios

0.16 MILES

Looking more Mexican than Cuban (Mexico was capital of New Spain so the colonial architecture was often superior), Plaza San Juan de Dios is Camagüey's…

8. Casa Natal de Nicolás Guillén

0.17 MILES

This modest house gives visitors a small insight into Cuba's late national poet and his books. It doubles as the Instituto Superior de Arte, where local…