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• Editorial Articles
• Culture and Traditions
• 10 / 31 / 2006

Obispo is considered one of the most populous streets in Havana city. It takes part of the historical center and its main characteristic is the great number of stores located along the whole street from Bernaza street to Plaza de Armas.

This way closed to the traffic starts just at the Plazuela de Albear, place that honors the creator of the first city aqueduct still in use nowadays and La Moderna Poesia, the most important bookstore in Havana.

The street was named that way honoring bishop Fray Jeronimo de Lara who lived there in 1641 and also due to bishop Pedro Agustin Morell de Santa Cruz who used to go all over the street from his house at the Officios street.

At the beginning the street was a real corridor of goods that came from outskirts through the Monserrate entrance. This narrow street without doorways was the first asphalted street in the city. Today it is a crowded boulevard which is also the entrance walk to old Havana. There, we can find different kind of stores from small markets to elegant boutiques and other state shops, art galleries, hotels, restaurants, as well as, private stalls selling food and craftwork goods. Therefore, it has been one of the most popular streets of the Cuban capital where definitely it is necessary to go all over on foot.

One of its most outstanding buildings because of its aesthetic and architectonical dimensions is the present Ministry of Finances and Prices on the corner of Cuba street. This was the center of a banking triangle created in this area at the beginning of the last century, which was known as the Havana Wall Street due to the existence of luxurious headquarters of great banks.

Among the most traditional places that still remains is the Florida Hotel and Ambos Mundos Hotel., the latest provided accommodation in the thirties to the distinguished American writer Ernest Hemingway who used to went for a walk along this street to its favorite bar El Floridita.

In one of its blocks there was La Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Jeronimo de la Habana (The Royal and Pontifical University of San Jeronimo of Havana) from 1728 to 1902.

Another colonial building found in this street is the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the General Captains) where we can find in its façade facing Obispo street a commemorative plaque to the stay in this place of the Italian liberator Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Thus, appreciating history, architecture, art, people, stores we get to Plaza de Armas (arms square) almost bordering the bay, after living the experience of enjoying a pleasant walk along the famous, old and always living Havana street of Obispo.