Estación Central de Ferrocarriles

CA1
General sightseeing
Architectural style: Eclectic
CA Ranking: 1
Admission: Free
Egido esq. a Arsenal, Habana Vieja
  • The building of the railway station, expression of the Spanish plateresque style, was built in 1912 on the site of the former Armory. It has four floors with 77 windows and the main entrance is rounded off by two slender towers, whose terracotta and tile ornamentation includes the coats of arms of both the city and the nation. It used red Spanish slates for the roofs and a huge clock was featured in the center of the façade. The ground floor, which was used as waiting room, exhibits columns faced with marble. The trains entered the terminal by way of a viaduct of over one kilometer long, which has been known since as “Los Elevados” [The Elevated].

    
  • Museo Nacional de la Danza

    Museo Nacional de la Danza  LH 3

    Opened in October, 1998, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the National Ballet of Cuba, this museum features objects mainly from Alicia Alonso’s collection, as well as documentaries, costumes a …

    El Torreón

    El Torreón  LH 3

    Recently restored, El Torreón or as locals call it Castillito (literally, small castle), built in 1649 with blocks from the San Lázaro Quarry (where José Martí was sentenced to forced labor), was part …

    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 Sevilla

    Hotel Sevilla  LH 3

    After the city walls began to be demolished in 1863, construction works for a luxury hotel began on El Prado Avenue, one of the city’s most popular promenades. Manuel López and Urbano González, owners …

    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 …

    Casa del Científico (Casa de José Miguel Gómez)

    Casa del Científico (Casa de José Miguel Gómez)  LH 2

    The compact yet extravagant Beaux Arts building on the northwest corner of Prado and Trocadero was once the residence of Cuba’s second president, José Miguel Gómez, known as ‘El Tiburón’ (The Shark). …

    Museo Farmacia Taquechel

    Museo Farmacia Taquechel  LH 2

    This townhouse was adapted in 1898 into a pharmacy by Francisco Taquechel. Restored and reopened in 1996, it functions as pharmacy and museum. Its collection includes 19th-century French porcelain apo …

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