Plaza located in Old Havana, the oldest area of the city of Havana, and which in 1982 was declared a World Heritage Site. It is in Old Havana where the historic center of the city is located.
In its beginnings, Plaza Vieja was known as Plaza Nueva and it was not until the 19th century that it acquired its current name.
Created in the year 1559, it has been given a varied use throughout its history, initially for public executions and later from an open-air market to a place of leisure full of restaurants and bars, which is how it is found today.
An octagonal Carrara marble fountain rises above the center of the square, which is actually a replica of the 18th century original by Italian sculptor Giorgio Massari. The original fountain was destroyed when an underground parking garage was built in the square in 1952.
The Old Square houses many buildings built between the 18th and 20th centuries, so in the same space we can see how the colonial baroque style coexists with Art Nouveau.
Some of the constructions that we are going to find in the Old Square of Havana:
Gómez Villa Building, is the tallest building in the Plaza Vieja that on the upper floor houses a Camera Obscura with optical reflection that rotates 360 degrees and where you can enjoy beautiful views of the city.
The Cueto Palace, built in 1906 in the style of Gaudí’s modernist architecture. Its name refers to the person who converted the building into a hotel.
Palacio Condes de Jaruco, residence of aristocratic families, was built in 1738 and currently houses the Fund for Cultural Assets.
Casa de las Hermanas Cárdenas, a building dating from the seventeenth century and which in 1989 became the Center for the Development of Visual Arts.
Casa Franchi Alfaro, a building built in 1751 that is currently a primary school and on the ground floor is the Café Escorial.
Museo de Naipes, is located on the ground floor of the oldest building in the Plaza Vieja.
Planetarium of Havana, occupies the building that at the beginning of the 20th century housed the Havana cinema.
Fototeca de Cuba, is located in the old Casa de Juan Mata and houses the largest and most important collection of Cuban photographs.
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