| One of the most interesting walks through Old | | | | information of the epoch. |
| Havana is precisely that of its St. Francis | | | | |
| of Assisi Square, and the Basilica of the | | | | The place had different uses, from the |
| same name located in that same place, very | | | | religious one to that of an official mail |
| close to the harbour. | | | | facility, storehouse, state offices, until it |
| | | | finally regained its particular charm, on |
| The impressive silence conferred to the | | | | October 4th, 1993, as it became a music hall |
| square by the mute stones, many of them | | | | of great prestige. |
| placed there during the 16th century, now | | | | |
| work as a an excellent concert hall that ever | | | | Nowadays, the Basilica is open to all |
| more often take place there. | | | | visitors, especially those most sensitive |
| | | | ones. It is a monument to beauty, silence and |
| Handel, Bach, Haydn and other celebrities are | | | | retreat. |
| distinguished guests of those walls, or Cuban | | | | |
| musicians of great renown like Ernesto | | | | Its hall culminates with a design that |
| Lecuona, Rodrigo Pratts and Gonzalo Roig, | | | | recreates the vaulted space it must have been |
| revived to the beat of inescapable sheet | | | | during the times it had its dome -destroyed |
| music. Every corner of the Basilica gleams | | | | by the hurricane. |
| through arias and overtures, raised by | | | | |
| adagios and allegros. | | | | A primitive baroque style gives testimony of |
| | | | the authenticity of the work -Corinthian and |
| The surrounding square seems to have been | | | | Doric imitations distribute the touch of |
| built between 1574 and 1591. Its today's | | | | distinction of constructors who, at that |
| cobblestones, the fountain around which there | | | | time, placed their hopes on that work and |
| can be found small cafes, were centre of the | | | | some of them have totally disappeared in |
| human settlement of that time -a Havana | | | | time, leaving their soul on each stone. |
| definitely situated in November of 1519 to | | | | |
| the margins of the so-called Puerto Cadenas, | | | | A Jesus Christ on the cross hangs above the |
| today's Havana's port. | | | | heads of the attendants, the sculptural work |
| | | | -it was a present from count O´Reilly to |
| The Franciscans, protagonists of many | | | | the temple in previous times. There, we can |
| evangelical adventures in the Americas, gave | | | | find oil paintings from |
| themselves the task of building their temple | | | | |
| there, some documentary evidence speak about | | | | Vicente Escobar (1757-1834) and religious |
| being 1719 the year when the construction of | | | | objects preserved for curious people to see |
| the convent and the church began, close to | | | | them and are scattered all around the |
| the interior beaches of the bay. | | | | majestic concert hall. |
| | | | |
| In 1734 they would finish this building. In | | | | On that courtyard all the intermediates go |
| 1846 a hurricane destroyed the upper part of | | | | by, when visitors take small walks and look |
| the chapel; however, a 42-meter tower is | | | | high above to take notice of the contrasts of |
| still preserved -at that time one of the | | | | colors induced by the sun in that part of the |
| highest points of the city. In the temple, | | | | world, with its particular charm in the City |
| aforetime, there were preserved more than 500 | | | | of Havana -day-dreaming magic. |
| volumes containing the most important | | | | |