Belén Convent, Havana

Come to the Convento of Nuestra Señora de Belén in Old Havana and discover the first building of the Cuban baroque

Belén Convent
© Rainer Soegtrop

Located in Calle Compostela, it's the first baroque building in Old Havana, so it can be considered the father of the Cuban baroque. The thick stone walls of the traditional architecture are remarkable in its composition, in which large windows with wooden arches are embedded. Also the thick columns that highlight the entrances of the different facades, simple but abundant ornaments are also remarkable. And finally, the large interior courtyard, with abundant tropical nature.

Convento de Belén © Rainer Soegtrop

The old Convento de Nuestra Señora de Belén (Nuestra Señora de Belén Convent) was built in 1718 by order of the Fathers and nuns of the Order of Belén, who spent their lives teaching, something that gave them several benefits. One century later they were owners of the Ingenio de San Cristóbal, with more than 300 slaves; later, it was directed by Jesuits and once housed the Academy of Science. It is currently an old people’s home financed by the Old Havana Historian’s Office.

This is one of the most successful social projects in Havana and evidence of how money coming from tourism and State Planning are good for its inhabitants. An example of this would be the different workshops for people in great need.

Inside the convent, a meteorological observatory to prevent hurricanes has been installed.

More information:

Location:

Calle Compostela, (between Luz and Acosta), La Habana, Cuba.

Ticket price:

2 CUC

Opening hours:

Mondays through Saturdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm; Sundays from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

Interactive map:

What to see in Old Havana

Other nearby destinations:

Why "Trip Cuba"?

Trip Cuba is an organization of Cuban agencies whose objectives are:

✓ To make Cuba, its culture and its heritage known.
✓ To promote sustainable tourism.
✓ To support the local economy, prioritizing direct contact with Cuban agencies.

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