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.

    
  • La Terraza de Cojimar

    La Terraza de Cojimar  LH 4

    Ernest Hemingway lived in Cojimar for some years and this was his favorite restaurant there, as evidenced by the many pictures of the American author here, including one with Fidel Castro. In one of t …

    Jardín Diana de Gales

    Jardín Diana de Gales  LH 4

    The distinctly non-communist fairytale crown atop a wrought-iron archway is something of a giveaway for one of Havana’s most delightful gardens, the Jardín Diana de Gales, inaugurated in 2000 in memor …

    Edificio FOCSA

    Edificio FOCSA  LH 4

    Considered one of the seven wonders of Cuban civil engineering, when built, the Focsa building was among the largest reinforced concrete structures in the world. Construction works took 28 months, and …

    Centro Cultural El Gran Palenque

    Centro Cultural El Gran Palenque  LH 4

    El Gran Palenque is home to the world-renowned dance troupe Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba. Opened in 1997, it has its origins in the Patio de la Rumba, founded in 1982 by folklorist Rogelio Mar …

    Parque John Lennon

    Parque John Lennon  LH 4

    Occupying a whole block, the park delimited by 17, 15, 6 and 8 Streets had been unofficially known as John Lennon for years and had been a popular meeting place for young people and sometimes imprompt …

    Calle Obispo

    Calle Obispo  LH 4

    This important street goes back to 1519, only four years after the founding of Havana. It was conceived as a narrow thoroughfare to protect the people from the sun. Throughout its existence, it has ha …

    Group of houses on Cárdenas Street

    Group of houses on Cárdenas Street  LH 4

    It is unusual in the city to find in such a short stretch so many interesting examples of Art Nouveau constructions. Only recently has the City Historian’s Office begun restoration works on some of th …

    Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís

    Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís  LH 4

    This imposing and beautiful basilica with fine acoustics hosts some of the most important classical music concerts in Havana. Set in the square of the same name, the church is the home of the Grammy-n …

    Planetario

    Planetario  LH 4

    Adjoining Fototeca on the square’s east side, the Planetarium is an interactive cultural center inaugurated on December 21, 2009. It provides a fascinating look into the origins and structure of the u …

    Museo de la Farmacia Habanera La Reunión

    Museo de la Farmacia Habanera La Reunión  LH 4

    Opened in 2004 in the building where the old pharmacy La Reunión was located, this museum is considered the most important pharmaceutical complex in Cuba and one of the largest and most beautiful in t …

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