Video Guide for Casa del Cientifico - Havana

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Built in 1919 Casa del Cientifico was former residence Cuba’s second president, José Miguel Gómez. The colonial building shows off rococo furnishings, neoclassical courtyard, tile-and-mahogany lined dining room, marble stairway and columns. It’s a moderate hotel with all the style of a high end one and views over the Prado.

Travel Video Tags for Casa del Cientifico:

José Miguel Gómez , El Tiburón , rococo , neoclassical , marble stairway , Prado ,

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Casa del Cientifico Travel Video - Audio Transcript

Casa del Cientifico

Along the Prado on the corner of Calle Trocadero is this hotel called Casa del Cientifico. It’s an elegant building that belongs to that period boasting ostentatious decorations and architectural features hard to miss. Built in 1919 and recently renovated this colonial building was once the residence of Cuba’s second president, José Miguel Gómez – otherwise known as El Tiburón (The Shark).

            The ground floor leads into this marvellous neoclassical interior courtyard reminiscent of a Roman baths. Allegorical figures decorate the top of the wall.

            Leading upstairs is one of the highlights of the building: two huge columns announce a grandiose marble stairway that sweeps up towards the rooms and more surprising features. Although the bedrooms are quite large they are in fact quite ordinary by any standards.  

The hotel has a reputation for providing exquisite diners of lobster for quite reasonable prices while at the weekends are host to cabaret on the roof terrace.

On the other hand, the remaining public spaces such as this tile-and-mahogany lined dining room reveal lofty ceilings and are sumptuously adorned with rococo furnishings, paintings and a few stain glass windows.

            Towards the front of the building again is another dining area past more pillars and elaborate columns.

Hidden from view beside what is the daily restaurant is this private chapel. The glass panels on the door only provide a small inkling of what is behind them. Apparently, it was the chapel used by the wife of President Gómez. The small altar has enough space for a few religious statues, loose ornaments and offerings. It’s not in use any more of course and is merely for display purposes only.

            Finally, moving away from the internal magnificence of the building presidential guests and governmental ministers in the past, would have been treated to these unhindered views over the Prado, showing that there’s just as many distractions outside to marvel at.

References

http://www.casadelcientifico.com

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