Page 118 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

116  HA V ANA AREA B Y AREA

6 Regla interior includes an ornate Guanabacoa has several
golden altar into which is interesting churches. Of
Havana. * 43,000. 4 from Muelle
de Luz, Habana Vieja, every 30 mins; incorporated the figure of these, the Ermita de Potosí
7697 7473. the dark-skinned Virgin. in particular is well worth
The Liceo Artístico y Literario a visit. Built in 1644, it is one
Regla lies on the east coast was opened by José Martí in of the oldest and most original
of the Bay of Havana, a few 1879 with a famous speech colonial period churches.
minutes by ferry from Muelle de on Cuban independence. The interesting Museo
Luz. The town was founded in Municipal de Guanabacoa,
1687 and over the years grew located in a well-restored
in economic importance as a 7 Guanabacoa colonial house, illustrates
fishing port and centre for huge Havana. * 115,000. @ the history of the town.
sugar warehouses. In the 19th The dominant figure is that
century freed slaves settled in After its foundation in of Pepe Antonio, the local
Regla, and there is still a strong 1607, this town became hero in the struggle
Afro-Cuban culture here today. an obligatory port of call against the British
The church of Nuestra for the slave traffic, which in the 18th century.
Señora de la Virgen de Regla explains its fame as a city The museum places
was built here in 1687. A modest associated with Afro- particular emphasis
structure, it stands on a small Cuban culture. Its name, on the Santería and Palo
hill from which there are scenic of Indian origin, means Monte religions and
views of the bay. The humble “land of many waters”: on the rituals of the
there are several Abakuá cult (see p27).
springs in this An impressive piece
area which at in this section is the
one time Mano Poderosa, a
encouraged wealthy The Mano Poderosa in the multicoloured
Habaneros to build Guanabacoa Municipal wooden sculpture
homes here. Today, Museum that stands approx-
Guanabacoa is proud imately 1-m (3-ft)
of its colonial houses and of high. According to legend, the
having been the birthplace sculpture belonged to a woman
of three leading 20th-century who was able to make contact
Cuban musicians: pianist and with the dead. Traditional Afro-
composer Ernesto Lecuona, Cuban dance is sometimes
singer Rita Montaner, and held in the courtyard.
Interior of the Regla church with its ornate chansonnier Ignacio Villa,
high altar better known as Bola de Nieve. E Museo Municipal
de Guanabacoa
La Virgen de Regla Calle Martí 108, e/ Quintin Banderas y
E V Valenzuela. Tel 7797 9117.
The Virgin of Regla has been the Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sat, 9am–
patron saint of fishermen and 1pm Sun. & 8
Havana since 1714. The Neo-
Classical sanctuary dedicated
to her contains an icon of a 8 Cojímar
dark-skinned Virgin holding a
white child that the faithful call Havana. * 20,100.
“La Negra”. The icon’s origins A charming village with one-
are not known but one legend storey wooden houses – often
suggests it acquired its colour with a garden, small porch
while being taken across the
Black Sea. The statue was and courtyard at the back –
brought from Spain by a hermit Cojímar was once inhabited
in 1696, and in the 1900s was only by fishermen. Now there
watched over by a certain are also many elderly people,
Panchita Cárdenas, whose including writers and artists,
modest home next to the who have chosen to leave the
church is now open to La Virgen de Regla, the protector capital for a more peaceful life.
worshippers. For followers of of fishermen In the 1950s however, there
Santería the Virgen de Regla is was only one author to be seen
also Yemayá, the patroness of the sea and mother of all men, on the streets of Cojímar: Ernest
to whom food, flowers, candles and sweets are offered. On Hemingway. Many of the local
her feast day (8 Sep) the icon is borne through the town. fishermen were his friends and
he liked to play dominoes and
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p258 and p272

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