El Templete, Old Havana

Discover the historic El Templete (Town Council), an important Cuban monument and museum in Old Havana

El Templete, Old Havana
© Terry Feuerborn

The El Templete (Town Council) is located inside one of the main squares of Old Havana, Plaza de Armas. Although the town council building is smaller compared to its surrounding, it envelops years of Cuban traditions. Not to mention, El Templete is the oldest 19th century architectural structure in Cuba.

El Templete
© Nicole Dugré

Colonel Antonio María de la Torre y Cárdenas, an important figure within the engineering and military field, ordered for the construction of El Templete. Completed in 1828, the building stands on the same site where the first mass and town hall meeting took place in the country in 1519.

Inside visitors can appreciate three paintings commemorating this event. They depict those in high positions in the army and government as well as Bishop Espada and members of the aristocracy who were present. Jean Baptiste Vermay, the artist, moved to Cuba from his native country and lived on the island until his death. He is buried besides his wife in a marble urn in El Templete.

El Templete is surrounded by high black fences and stone columns. Visitors are welcomed into a beautiful garden, a Christoper Columbus monument, and a large three sided column. The faces of the column represent the first territorial division of the province. But what visitors come to see at El Templete is the buildings Greco-Roman style, doric columns, the slanted roof, and the spaces between the roof and buildings columns, where you can find detailed figures carved into stone.

In the garden, visitors will be able to visit the ceiba tree. This tree is part of a centuries old tradition first celebrated in 1519. Every 16th of November, Cubans visit the garden’s ceiba tree, walk around it three times, toss a coin at it, and make a wish.

La fachada del edificio es el rasgo más notorio del estilo grecorromano, con sus columnas dóricas, su techo a dos aguas, y el entablamento, es decir, la parte entre el techo y las columnas, en el que se tallaron figuras en la piedra.

More information:

Location:

Plaza de Armas, La Habana Vieja, Cuba

Opening TImes:

From 8:30 am to 6:00 pm.

Ticket Price:

Free.

Interactive map:

Havana:

Old Havana

Parque Histórico Militar Morro Cabaña

Centro Habana

Vedado

Miramar

What to see around Havana

Other nearby destinations:

Why "Cuban Travel Agency"?

"Cuban Travel Agency" is part of the Visitar Cuba project, an organization of Cuban agencies whose objectives are:

✓ Disseminate Cuba, its culture and its heritage.
✓ Promote sustainable tourism.
✓ Support the local economy, prioritizing direct contact with Cuban agencies.
✓ Offer budgets without commitment and without cost, from the hand of Cuban experts.

Ask for your estimate

Travel agencies and Tour Operators

If you are an agency or tour operator and you are looking for help to create trips to Cuba, trust our expert hands, we offer special prices.

Special prices for Travel Agencies and Tour Operators