| Description |
It is the old School of “San Jose” de la Compañía de Jesus that later, in 1774 was open under the name of San Carlos and San Ambrosio Royal School Seminary.
It was built by the Jesuits. After they were expelled in 1767, it immediately became the seat of St. Ambrose’s seminar. It is also called St. Charles seminar in honor of King Charles III of Spain, who declared it Conciliate in 1777, equaling it to the Spanish seminars.
It was one of the most important buildings during the colony for it was a training center where prestigious Cuban intellectuals were educated, and as for its construction, new architectural elements were introduced.
The original baroque porch has sculptures, pilasters and chamfered angles. The front was redesign to face the bay in 1950. The current entrance was designed following the Cathedrals baroque motifs. The old porch, the courtyard and me main stairway, one of the most splendid of colonial times, stand out among Havana’s religious architecture. At both sides of the gate stand two busts of the most representative and important professors in the formation of the Cuban nationality: José Agustín Caballero and Félix Varela. Both taught at me seminar. It still operates as a seminar. |
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