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Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco
The Church of San Francisco was considered for many years the most elegant in Havana.
This statue along the side shows the founder of the California missions, Father Junipero Serra, with his hand resting protectively on an Indian boy’s shoulder.
The most attractive aspect of this building is the bell tower which rises 42m above the main door. During the colonial period this was the tallest structure in Havana being eclipsed only by the Manaca-Iznaga tower near Trinidad.
It’s fashionable status is further confirmed from the many tombs of all ‘the city’s nobility of the 17th and 18th centuries, from governors, generals, fleets’ commanders, Castile’s tytles holders and even a viceroy’s lady from Peru.’
This oil painting of Brother Juan Lazo de la Vega y Cancino next to the entrance dates to the 18th century although the artist is unknown.
Along the right hand nave are a series of exhibits from the 18th century onwards depicting crosses, robes and various artefacts in glass cases.
The Franciscan brotherhood were the first religious order to establish themselves in Havana. In 1570 they resided in a house belonging to a rich and influential neighbour called Juan de Rojas. He left the house to them in his will so that they could also establish a monastery for their order.
The art work of the Crucifix here above the main altar is thought to be from the School of Valladolid.
To build their new monastery they collected 3,000 ducados in alms. The congregation presented them with some land around Calle Muralla which was where a community of Mexicans lived.
The Prior Francisco Jimenez, did not particularly like this location so in 1580 and at a cost of 400 ducados which some considered an unjust waste of money, he acquired new premises beside the sea front.
Next to the church is a cloister with three levels built from 1731 and adapted over time.
This exhibition displays a few examples of the seats made of mahogany from the 18th century and which would have been placed in the three naves of the church.
The cloister consisted of 111 rooms for the monks, a refectory, a first aid room, and a library with 500 books which may be considered one of the most important collections in Havana. The north cloister was opened in 1995 as a Museum for important works of art while in 1998 the south cloister became an exposition place for temporary works.
Construction on their new location, began in 1580 and according to Joaquin Weiss, was built from bricks and mortar, and tiles so it may be assumed that it was sufficiently solid enough to last until the end of the 17th century. Unfortunately, a series of cyclones in 1680,1692 and 1694 took its toll on the structure. Eventually, even the bell tower was destroyed.
The contract for its reconstruction was signed on the 16th of April 1701 with the master architect Pedro Hernandez de Santiago. Also present was the notary Juan de Uribe Ozetta. The whole sum came to 7,000 pesos and this included building the façade and the tower in stonework noting too that it should be quite solid probably as a caution against future hurricanes.
There was no specific instructions given for the bell tower which eventually took on a square form whereas the original was rectangular. In 1719 signs of ruin appeared around the main chapel which was thought to be due to its closeness to the sea. This area was later extended to build it up again with the consequence that part of a tomb had to be demolished. It’s perhaps at this time that the number of chapels increased to 22.
Contemporary art works here feature artists such as Teresa Sanchez Bravo, Aldolfo Cesar Alfonso and Darlyn Delgado. It’s perhaps no surprise that these exhibits reflect a great irony in this ex-monastery as many of them would be considered diabolical since they deal exclusively with sexual organs and modern day interpretations of sexual encounters.
Once the works began on the reconstruction of the church along with the support of Don Diego Salazar, they were determined to complete the whole project in one go. Once finished they celebrated it with a grand inauguration in November 1738 which was attended by many dignitaries and public officials.
On the top floor is this large photo exhibition from around the world. Out on the balcony which snakes around the perimeter are peculiar looking doors with small flaps that serve as windows during the hotter periods. This balcony overlooks the first cloister.
In more rooms are displays of paintings and religious relics. Many of them are by unknown artists and date from the 18th century onwards.
This large canvas representing the ‘Crowing of the Virgin’ was by Vicente Escobar from the 1700s.
In 1841 Queen María Cristina de Borbón decided to close the monastery and use it as a storehouse. The 111 rooms were allocated to junior members of the government as well as the wives and children of poor employees. In 1856 the Archivo General de la República (Public Archive’s Office) was relocated here and then in 1907 it became home to the Dirección de Correos y Telégrafos (Post Office and Telephone Exchange).
This organ was donated by the French organization Luthiers sans frontieres in 2006.
From 1992 the Historian’s Office of Havana has been located here overseeing the restoration of the church and convent. The doors of the ex-church were opened to the public in 1994 as an events space for concerts and Música Coral y de Cámara.
References
Ediciones Niocia S.L., La Habana Vieja – Old Havana, 2004, p27.
Juan de las Cuevas Toraya, 500 Años De Construcciones En Cuba, Havana 2001, pp6-7.
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