Casa de Dionisio Velasco

CA3
General sightseeing
Architectural style: Eclectic
CA Ranking: 3
Admission: Free
Cárcel #51 esq. a Zulueta, Habana Vieja
  • Built in 1912, the building was conceived as a grand palace. Lavishly ornamented on its facade, it features overhanging balconies and windows which break the horizontal line of the balustrade. This monumental building, built in the early days of the Republic, is an antecedent of the sumptuous mansions that would flood Havana’s wealthy neighborhoods in the following decades. It belonged to the Velasco family until 1960, when it became the Commercial Office of the Spanish Embassy. Since 1986, it is the Spanish Embassy.

    
  • Fuente de la India or La Noble Habana

    Fuente de la India or La Noble Habana  LH 3

    This fountain, which is known by either name, is a representation of the mythical Indian woman called Habana, the wife of cacique Habaguanex who ruled in the area before the arrival of Columbus. The f …

    Hotel Santa Isabel (Palacio del Conde de Santovenia)

    Hotel Santa Isabel (Palacio del Conde de Santovenia)  LH 4-

    The grandiose palace overlooking the broad cobbled plazuela to the southeast side of Plaza de Armas is the deluxe Hotel Santa Isabel, with its entrance at the corner of Baratillo and Obispo. The hotel …

    Calle Mercaderes

    Calle Mercaderes  LH 3

    One of the busiest streets in Old Havana, second only to Obispo, Mercaderes runs north-south parallel to and two blocks inland of Avenida del Puerto, linking Plaza de la Catedral with Plaza Vieja. The …

    Convento e Iglesia de Santa Clara de Asís

    Convento e Iglesia de Santa Clara de Asís  LH 3

    The concern of Havana’s best families over the fate of their unmarried daughters led to the construction of this convent, which would eventually become the first nunnery in Cuba. Construction works be …

    Hotel Inglaterra

    Hotel Inglaterra  LH 3

    The original nucleus of the hotel dates back to 1856 and was later expanded in 1891 with the addition of two adjacent properties. The last floor was built in 1915. This is Cuba’s oldest hotel and has …

    Calle 23

    Calle 23  LH 3

    Calle 23, or 23rd Steet, is a central, busy street in El Vedado district. It begins at the sea and ends in a river, the Almendares. Its first five streets, from Malecón to L Street are known as La Ram …

    Casa de los Árabes

    Casa de los Árabes  LH 3

    This ethnographic museum dedicated to Islamic cultures founded in1983 displays modest exhibitions on Islamic textiles, carpets, clothing, weapons, ceramics and furniture. The museum is housed in two e …

    Droguería Johnson

    Droguería Johnson  LH 3

    Tragically, after being beautifully restored by the City Historian’s Office, this pharmacy caught fire on March 16, 2005. Shelves, counters, the façade woodwork, porcelain ornaments and laboratory app …

    Hotel Habana Libre

    Hotel Habana Libre  LH 3

    Located on the famous corner of 23 and L streets, the Habana Libre Hotel, with its 25 floors and 630 spacious rooms, stands majestically and offers an incomparable view of the bay. The building occupi …

    Parque y Casa Alejandro de Humboldt

    Parque y Casa Alejandro de Humboldt  LH 3

    In this 19th-century house, the scientist Alejandro de Humboldt installed his instruments and botany and mineral collections while ensconced here 1800-1801. Restored as a museum in 1997, the five exhi …

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