Page 208 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

206  CUBA REGION B Y REGION

Exploring Camagüey

The vast historic centre of Camagüey, a complex
16th-century labyrinth of winding alleyways,
dead ends, forks and squares, is not easy to
navigate. The centre consists mainly of two-
storey houses without arcades, pierced by
large windows protected by wooden grilles.
Each house has an inner courtyard. There are
numerous old churches, most of them well
attended, whose bell towers jut above the red
tile roofs of the colonial houses. As with Trinidad,
the well-preserved architecture is the result
of the town’s geographic isolation: the railway
line only arrived in 1903, and the Carretera The Cinco Esquinas (Five Corners), one of the town’s more
Central road in 1931. complicated junctions

Other City Centre Sights the oldest cemetery in Cuba. at No. 22, is the birthplace of
Many interesting sights are just Back near Parque Agramonte, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda,
a short walk away from Parque there is a complex interchange, the 19th-century author of
Ignacio Agramonte. the Cinco Esquinas (five corners), antislavery novels.
Calle Martí runs west from the near the top of Calle Raúl Further south, on Calle
square up to Plazuela de la Lamar, which is a good República, stands the Iglesia
Bedoya, a delightful example of the intricate de Nuestra Señora de la
colonial square that layout of the city centre. Soledad, built in 1776. It was
has been restored and Another route to here that local patriot Ignacio
filled with statues. An explore runs along or Agramonte was baptized
old Ursuline convent near Calle República, a and also married. The façade
stands here, as well as narrow, straight street features pilasters and moulding
a church, the Iglesia that crosses the entire typical of early Cuban Baroque
del Carmen. Although city from north to architecture, but the real
not completed until Author Gertrudis Gómez de south. At the attractions here are the
1825, it has a distinctly Avellaneda northern end, decoratively painted arches
Baroque character. beyond the railway and pillars and the wooden
Calle Cristo leads to Plazuela line, is the Museo Provincial alfarje ceiling inside.
del Cristo, which is dominated Ignacio Agramonte (see p207). By going south to the far end
by the Iglesia del Santo Further south, a right turn at of this street you will reach Calle
Cristo del Buen Viaje and the the Hotel Colón leads eastwards Martí, which will take you back
Cementerio General (1814), across to Calle Avellaneda. Here, to Parque Agramonte.

Plaza San Juan de Dios
Laid out in 1732, this square is
also known as Plaza del Padre
Olallo, in honour of a priest who
was beatified in 2008 because
he dedicated his life to caring
for the sick in the city hospital.
Today, the totally restored
Plaza San Juan de Dios is a
quiet, picturesque spot, but also
a gem of colonial architecture.
Around it are 18th-century
pastel buildings, several of
which have been converted
into restaurants. One whole side
of the plaza is occupied by an
important group of buildings
that include a church and an
old hospital, which is now
the home of the Dirección
The Iglesia del Carmen, on Plaza del Carmen Provincial de Patrimonio and
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp261–2 and pp274–5

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