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The early bird gets the worm…or a great breakfast!
Although I had checked many things off of my list of things to do in Havana, there was still a great deal more to see! As I sat in the dining room, enjoying my eggs, fruit and toast, I checked my map and thought more about the some of the things that were suggested by my seatmate on the flight to Havana.
Deciding to start at the Basilica and Convent of San Francis of Assisi, I thought that I would finally see more of the religious institutions that dot the predominately Catholic country.
Getting anywhere was slow going as I was continually distracted by the unique architecture that existed on each block. Passing the Museo Casa de Mexico Benito Juarez, I made a note to return later if there was time and then made a quick stop to admire the statue of Simon Bolivar, the Venezuelan military and political leader who led Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama to independence from the Spanish Empire.
Finally arriving in the Plaza de San Francisco de Asis, I first sought out two significant statues. The monument to the Polish composer, Frederic Chopin, sits on a bench, beckoning visitors to take a seat next to him and El Caballero, the bronze likeness of José María López Lledín, a man which much speculation once surrounded. An interesting story surrounds the latter. Originally from Spain, he was was said to have lost his family, arrested for a crime he did not commit and wandered the streets of Havana during the 1950s. He always carried a portfolio with his treasured pens, gifts and colored pieces of cards, which he bestowed on passersby. Over time, he became well known throughout the city and would often entertain with poetry recitals and storytelling. He died in 1985 and was buried in the Cemetery of Santiago de las Vegas. After the restoration of the plaza in the late 1990s, his remains were exhumed and placed in the Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis. His statue was erected in 2001 and was designed by sculptor José Villa Soberón, who also sculpted the John Lennon sculpture which can be found in the Parque Lennon in Vedado. His beard has been rubbed shiny and it is said that doing so gives good luck!
After a beard rubbing, I admired the lovely, wide open plaza and the beautiful buildings surrounding it, as well as the statue of Fray Junípero Serro with a Juaneño Indian boy, before entering the Basilica.
The original church that stood on this site was built by the Franciscans in 1591 but was damaged by severe storms in 1680 and 1692. A hurricane toppled its tower in 1694. Eventually, construction resulted in the church’s present Baroque stature in 1739, was named a basilica by the Pope and became the city’s premier house of worship. It eventually adjoined the adjacent Franciscan convent.
As I ventured inside, again I was a bit underwhelmed, as I had been with the Havana Cathedral. Its interior is in the shape of a Latin cross with domed ceilings, however, it lacked the grandeur that I thought would exist here. As I later learned, however, from 1762, the church no longer served the Catholic religion. From this time, the British had control over Havana and commandeered the basilica for Anglican services. Considered desecrated by the Protestants, Catholicism never existed within its walls again. Although the monks continued to occupy the convent, Queen Maria Cristina of Spain closed the building and transferred the members of the religious order. In 1907, the property was purchased by the government and sadly, became a warehouse.
Today, the church acts as one of Havana’s most outstanding concert halls and is home to the acclaimed all-female chamber orchestra, Camerata Romeu. As I wandered through the church, I was privy to some of the members performing during a rehearsal session.
Inside the crypt, the remains of many 17th and 18th century aristocrats can be found. The nave and the attached cloister also houses the Museum of Sacred Art which exhibits paintings by José Nicolás de la Escalera and Vicente Escobar, wooden images, early marriage registries and the armchairs and lectern used by Fidel Castro and Pope John Paul II during his 1998 visit. Though I enjoyed wandering through the church’s interior, it was the cloister with its fern-filled courtyards and countless rooms filled with religious artifacts that was most captivating.
The former church’s one hundred and thirty-seven foot tower, once the tallest in Havana (second tallest in Cuba), was previously crowned by a statue of St. Francis of Assisi, whose head was severed during a hurricane in 1846. Though the tower can be accessed by a somewhat rickety staircase (which I had planned to tackle for the beautiful views of the city), it was sadly not meant to be…the spire was closed due to maintenance.
Making my departure, I headed south on Oficios and immediately found myself staring at a train’s coach car, El Coche Mambi. Entering the car, I was greeted by an elderly woman, who explained (in Spanish) that visiting was by tour only. After paying her, she then led me through the car which was used by the Presidents on their tours of the country. Last used by Fidel Castro Ruz, the coach has been converted into a museum and preserved the same as when it was in use. Though my Spanish is basic, I mostly understood the history and what I was seeing as she led me through the coach and explained its contents. The president’s bedroom, the president’s wife’s bedroom, the kitchen, dining room and the president’s desk were quite interesting and beautifully displayed.
As I thanked the gracious senora for the short, yet insightful stopover, I ventured out, making my way to the waterside.
Headed toward the ferry terminal, I first encountered Our Lady of Kazan Orthodox Cathedral. Since I had deemed the day, “a church day”, I decided that my ferry to Regla could wait while I find if it was possible to see the church’s interior. Discovering unlocked doors, I peered inside, spying a woman performing some tasks. She did not seem disturbed by my presence, so I quietly entered and moved throughout the space, discovering each of the elements that make an orthodox church unique.
The church’s construction dates back to 2004 when Cuban leader Fidel Castro offered to build the cathedral as a monument to Russian and Cuban good-will. The cathedral was built in the Byzantine style with a central golden cupola surrounded by four smaller copper-colored ones. The pieces of the cupolas, as well as elements of decoration, including the floor covering and the church plate, were brought from Moscow and the interior has space for 500 congregants.
After my walk-thru was complete, I ventured back out into the sunshine, finally heading to the ferry terminal. My destination was the small town across the bay where the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla is located. Though I probably would have not done this without some coaxing, it was highly recommended by the tour guide that I sat beside on the airplane. After hearing how much I love visiting churches, he insisted that I take the ferry to see this church, which houses the black Madonna, a highly venerated statue of the Virgin Mary.
I was a bit nervous as I entered the ferry terminal. After having my bag searched, I unsuccessfully searched for a ticket counter. There were many people waiting and as a boat approached from the south, I assumed that this was the correct vessel. Lining up with both locals and tourists, I asked a gentleman if this was the boat to Regla and was told yes, only to glance up and discover that another boat had pulled up to the dock. Hmmm. I decided that I would go with my gut!
As I approached the lanchita on the right, I saw people paying the crew as they boarded. Thankfully, I had smaller change, even though I overpaid a bit…ticket price was only 10 centavos! Making my way across the boat to the open doorways, so that I could get some air while fighting for space among the masses, I again asked someone (who appeared to be a local) if I was on the boat to Regla. “Si Señora”, he replied and I breathed a sigh of relief.
As we pulled away from the dock, I realized that if I indeed was on the wrong boat, the other ferry crossed the bay to the Christ statue and that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Our ferry motored off, getting further from the city and I spied the golden cupola of Our Lady of Kazan in the distance, reflecting the brilliant glow of the day. And…it looked like we were headed in the right direction!
Seven minutes later, we were pulling up to the dock in Regla and I decided to follow those who appeared to be tourists. From the looks of the area, it seemed like the church was the tourist destination of choice…maybe the only choice.
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla was a short walk and I was met by many vendors sitting on the stone gates which surrounded the church, hoping to sell me a candle or an offering to the Virgin. The church, with its long colorful history, is extremely important to the believers of the Virgin. The statue, which was believed to have been carved by St. Augustine “the African” in the 5th century, was brought from Spain in 453. After surviving a storm in the Strait of Gibraltar, it became known as the patron of sailors.
A small hut was built on the site, to house a copy of the image in 1687 by a pilgrim named Manuel Antonio, but was destroyed by a hurricane only five years later. A more durable chapel was built a few years later and in 1714, Nuestra Señora de Regla was proclaimed patron of the Bahía de la Habana. In 1957, the image was crowned by the Cuban Cardinal in the Havana Cathedral. On September 7, the saint is celebrated when thousands of pilgrims descend on Regla and the image is paraded through the streets.
The church’s vaulted ceiling makes a grand statement above the lightness of the church’s color scheme which is trimmed in blue, a salute to its association with the sea. There are beautiful paintings which depict life on the ocean, carved stations of the cross, saint’s statues and a golden side altar. As you enter the church, however, it is the altar, directly in your line of vision, that houses La Santísima Virgen de Regla. Though I had to wait a short time, I was finally able to approach the altar and take pictures of the Black Madonna…truly awe inspiring.
The ferry ride back to Old Havana was a quick affair and I toyed with the idea of immediately jumping on the other ferry. I wanted to revisit the Christ Statue and Castillo Des Los Tres Reyes Del Morro and I also wanted to tour La Cabana. There were other things in Old Havana that I wanted to discover first, however, so off I went by land, towards the Almacenes San José Artisan’s Market.
Since I had done a bit of browsing on Obispo street, but not yet made any significant purchases, I was eager to see what I might find in this highly recommended establishment. Built in 1885, the Havana’s oldest depository is the home to the largest artisan’s market in the city. A short walk from the harbor, it is easily accessible to cruise ship arrivals and offers everything from clothes to paintings to toys and tobacco accessories. The sheer size of it was quite overwhelming and I was not sure where to turn. As everyone tried to garner my attention, I decided that I would try to find shirts for my sons and a nativity set for my collection. In a predominately Catholic country, it would seem that finding a nativity set would be an easy feat, however, it took at least a half an hour of talking to people, who then went to talk to people, in order to find one! And since I was pretty particular about the type of t-shirts that I was searching for, it was a similar procedure. It was quite exhausting, but I met some interesting people, learned some interesting local news and walked away with the purchases I had planned and then a couple of unplanned ones too!
With my heavy package, I decided that I would begin heading back to my Airbnb to drop them and have a quick bite to eat. Crossing the street, however, I spotted the Church of St. Francisco of Paula. What caught my attention was the tall trio of stained glass windows on the rear of the church. I decided that I should take a quick look from the inside to see their sunlit beauty.
What originally served as an important hospital for women and children during the end of the 17th century, was built with an adjoining church devoted to St. Francis of Paola, one of the founders of the Roman Catholic Order of the Minims. The buildings were destroyed by a hurricane in 1730, but rebuilt in the Baroque style that is seen today. When the Havana Central Railroad attempts to demolish the church was met by opposition, work was completed to have it listed as a National Monument in 1944. Sadly, however, the railroad was able to destroy the hospital.
The church that can be visited today is similar in style to other Havana churches, those of Santo Domingo, Guanabacoa and San Francisco de Asis and has been extensively restored. The stained glass windows, that lured me inside, act as the altarpiece and this church has the only organ that has been preserved in Cuba with its original pipes and machinery. The ashes of the great Cuban violinist Claudio José Brindis de Salas (1852-1911), considered one of the best violinists of his time, are preserved in the church and although the the belfry still exists, its original three bells, destroyed during the hurricane of 1730, were never restored.
My stomach was starting to rumble and my feet were starting to ache, but there was one more church I wanted to see before I shifted gears. A couple of blocks from St. Francis of Paola church was the Iglesia y Convento de la Merced.
Having seen a few churches in the city, I had been a bit underwhelmed. This one, however, did not disappoint. One of the most beautiful churches in Havana, it was built between 1865 and 1867 in the Baroque style and is the type to make you gasp as you lay your eyes on the interior. Decorated by Cuban artists, it contains murals and frescoes throughout with highlights of light blue on the ceiling and an elegant black and white marble floor. Beautiful statuary and intricately carved stations of the cross grace its heart and it was hard not to take a seat on the old carved pews to rest and pray for a few moments. The most intriguing part of the church, however, was the chapel on the left side of the church with a full grotto installed behind the altar. Though the church is suffering from exposure to the damp air and is in need of restoration, it is truly one that I was glad that I did not miss.
Finally, it was time to continue my journey back to my temporary home. It had been a busy morning and I needed to refresh and refuel. After my lunch, it would be time to change channels from churches to the forts that lay across the channel.
From prayers to protection…all in a day in Havana!
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Casa Benito Juarez
- Address: 116, Obrapia, La Habana, Cuba
- Hours: Sunday and Tuesday only, 0930-1430.
- Admission: Unknown
Statue of Simon Bolivar
- Address: Mercaderes, Obrapia, La Habana, Cuba
- Hours: 24 hours, daily
- Admission: free
Convento and Basilica Menor of San Francis of Assisi
- Address: Plaza de San Francisco La Habana Vieja, Havana Cuba
- Hours: 0930-1800, daily
- Admission: Church and Museum, $2 CUC (about $2 US), Tower $1 CUC (about $1 US), Children under 12 years, free
El Coche Mambi
- Address: Oficios y Churruca, Havana, Cuba
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 0930-1600. Closed Sunday.
- Admission: By tour only, $2 CUC (about $2 US)
Our Lady of Kazan Orthodox Cathedral
- Address: Avenida del Puerto Esquina Calles Sol y Santa Clara – La Habana Vieja, Havana 10100 Cuba
- Hours: No posted opening times
- Admission: free
Terminal de Ferris (Ferry Terminal)
- Address: Avenue Del Puerto, La Habana, Cuba
- Hours: 0400-midnight, daily.
- Admission: 10 centavos (about 10 cents US)
- Capacity is 90 persons and boats depart every 15 minutes
Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Regla
- Address: Avenue Marti, Regla, Cuba
- Hours: 0800-1700, daily
- Admission: free, donations accepted
Almacenes San José Artisan’s Market
- Address: Avenida del Puerto corner of Calle Cuba
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 1000-1800. Closed on Monday.
- Admission: free
St. Francis of Paola
- Address: 110 Leonor Pérez, Havana, Cuba
- Hours: No posted opening times
- Admission: free
Iglesia Y Convento de la Merced
- Address: Calle de Cuba 806, Havana, Cuba
- Hours: Hours listed are 0800-1200 and 1500-1700, Monday-Saturday and 0900-1300, Sunday, however, I ventured in after the noon hour, so church may or may not be closed. Mass times are 0900, Monday-Saturday and noon, Sunday
- Admission: free