La Periquera Provincial Museum, Holguín
Visit La Periquera Provincial Museum, discover the origin of its name and the secrets of its history.
La Periquera Provincial Museum
© PROARNAUD_Z_VOYAGE
The monumental Neoclassic building, known as La Periquera, is one of the most famous in the city of Holguín. Its long history is part of the charm of the beautiful Provincial Museum.
When you go over the Calixto García Park you will find a colonial building with huge arches and spacious rooms which was ordered to be built in 1860 by the richest man in Holguín, the Spaniard Francisco Rondán. It was a great mansion which construction took 8 years.
Located in front of the Plaza de las Armas Square, today known as Calixto Garía Park, the building has been witness and protagonist of outstanding historic and cultural events. It has been attacked on several occasions during the Independence Wars and without being seriously damaged. La Periquera has resisted up to now working as Casa de Gobierno House for more than a century.
For the curious in you, the name is not as old as the mansion, and there are two hypotheses about its origin. On one hand, during the siege of Holguín by the Liberator Army, one of the soldiers yelled: ‘Get out of the cage, parakeets!’, alluding to the colorful uniform of the Spanish army, which was red, yellow and green. On the other hand, the second hypotheses abide by a work of José María Heredia in relation to the Independence Wars, where it is told the meeting between Peralta and the Tenant Governor Don Francisco Camps y Feilú which went on for some days without reaching any agreement, since it was a distraction so the Spanish army could entrench themselves in the Rondán House. Thus, since then it was decided to refer to the mansion as La Periquera.
Declared National Monument because of its correlation with the history of the city and the architectural value of its structure, nowadays the mansion hosts on its inside the absorbing Provincial Museum, where you can enjoy various exhibitions which host samples of aboriginal archeology, documents and historical proofs related to the Independence Wars and different rooms hosting the city’s history and art, including works by Cuban artists and foreigners with international prestige.
Among the exhibited objects stand out an axe, dating from the beginning of the 15th century, made by indigenous inhabitant with idol shape which is constituted in a symbol of the Holguín’s identity, due to the sense of rebellion it encloses; or the sword that belonged to the National Hero José Martí.
On the other hand, the building lead you to a Moorish courtyard used as scenario for cultural encounters about history and dancing, where very interesting events take place.
The identity element of the city of Holguín is the copy of one of the former knockers of the colonial house. The aldabón knocker which represents a feminine face with Neoclassical lines, has a great artistic value and has become the award given to Cuban personalities just as foreigners ones who have contributed to the cultural, economic or scientific development of the municipality.
Do not miss the monument exhibiting the fascinating history of Holguín and enjoy a rich view to the heart of the Holguín identity.
More information:
Location:
Calle Frexes Nº 198 e/ Libertad y Maceo. Holguín, Cuba
Interactive map:
Holguín
What to see:
- San Isidoro Cathedral
- Julio Grave de Peralta Park
- Calixto García Íñiguez Park
- Iglesia de San José Church
- Casa Natal de Calixto García Birth House
- Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Park
- La Loma de La Cruz
- Finca Mayabe Ranch
- Gibara
- Batería Fernando VII
- Iglesia de San Fulgencio Church
- Bariay National Monument Park
- Poor Cinema International Festival
- Rocazul Biopark
- Guardalavaca
- Aldea Taína
- Banes
- Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad Church
- Salto del Guayabo Waterfall
- Martí Park
- Cayo Saetía
- Naranjo Bay Natural Park
Beaches:
Museums:
Other nearby destinations:
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