Havana Cathedral Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Catedral de San Cristóbal
Catedral de San Cristóbal
General information
Type	Religious
Architectural style	Baroque
Address	156 Empedrado
Town or city	Havana
Country	Cuba
Groundbreaking	1748
Completed	1777
Technical details
Structural system	Load bearing
Material	Coral stone
Floor count	1

The Havana Cathedral (also known as Catedral de San Cristóbal) is a famous Catholic church in Havana, Cuba. It is one of the most important churches on the island. You can find it in Old Havana, a historic part of the city. The cathedral is known for its beautiful and unique style.

This large church is the main seat for the Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana. It was built between 1748 and 1777. The church was officially opened in 1782. For a time, the remains of Christopher Columbus were kept here.

History of the Cathedral
- Christopher Columbus's Remains
Architecture and Design
Artworks and Treasures
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

History of the Cathedral

The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, was a large missionary group in Havana. They wanted to build a church and a school. In 1727, plans for a church, a convent, and a college were approved.

The area where the cathedral stands was once a swamp. This swamp was drained and used as a naval dockyard before the church was built. The Jesuits started building the cathedral in 1748. They built it on the site of an older church.

The construction finished in 1777. This was after King Charles III of Spain had ordered the Jesuits to leave the island in 1767.

Christopher Columbus's Remains

In 1796, after a peace treaty was signed, Spain gave most of Hispaniola to France. Because of this, the remains of Christopher Columbus were moved. They were brought to the Havana Cathedral. They were placed in a special spot called the Altar of the Gospel.

His gravestone had a special message. It read: Oh Remains and Image of Great Columbus, Be Preserved One Thousand Years in the Funerary Urn. Columbus's remains stayed in the cathedral until 1898. After the Cuban War of Independence, they were moved back to Spain.

In the early 1800s, some changes were made inside the cathedral. The old altars, which were in the Baroque style, were replaced. New altars in a Neoclassical style were put in. The original wooden ceilings were also covered with plaster.

Architecture and Design

Havana Cathedral Floor Plan

Engraving of the cathedral published in 1882 in La Ilustración Católica.

The Havana Cathedral has a special look called Baroque style. Its front has two bell towers that are not exactly the same size. This makes the building look unique.

Many buildings in Havana, including the cathedral, are made from coral stone. If you look closely at the walls, you can see fossilized bits of sea creatures and plants!

Inside, the church has a main area called a nave. It also has two side aisles and eight smaller chapels. The main nave is about fifteen meters wide. The overall shape of the church is like a Latin cross.

Above the side aisles, you can see eight stone arches on the outside of the cathedral. These are called flying arches. They help support the central arches of the nave. You cannot see these arches, the dome, or the orange roof tiles from the main square.

Artworks and Treasures

Statue of Apolinar Serrano by Pietro Costa.

The cathedral is filled with many beautiful artworks. These include sculptures, paintings, and frescoes.

There is a statue of Apolinar Serrano. He was a Spanish bishop of Havana. He was buried in the cathedral. The statue was made by an Italian sculptor named Pietro Costa.
Some of the side chapels have copies of famous paintings. These copies are of works by well-known artists like Rubens and Murillo.
You can also see a sculpture of Saint Christopher. He is the Patron Saint of Havana. This sculpture was made in 1632 in Spain by Martín de Andújar Cantos.
Above the main altar, there are three old frescoes. These were painted by an Italian artist named Giuseppe Perovani. He painted scenes like The Delivery of the Keys, The Last Supper, and The Ascension.
There is also a painting of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. She is the Patroness of the cathedral.
Other artworks include sculptures and gold pieces made in Rome in the early 1800s.
On the walls, you can see oil paintings by a French artist named Jean Baptiste Vermay. He was the founder and first director of the Academy of Painting and Drawing of San Alejandro.

The Havana Cathedral is part of Old Havana. This entire area was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. This means it is a very important place that needs to be protected.