Recently, restorative and conservative works have been carried out for keeping the originality of architectural and artistic values of both buildings, which are located in the downtown of this legendary city, founded in 1514.

Ernesto Guzmán Lastre, head of the Office of Monuments and Historical Sites in this province, explained to the AIN that the application of "La Soledad" Church, was taken into account starting from the strictness and the integral value of the invest, project, and execution of the restoration work.

Its main building was erected in 1779 and it has three other buildings within; the most significant parts of them were restored and highlighted during a preservation work that concluded in 2007.

Among the most important historical landmarks that have happened in "La Soledad" are: the baptism of local poet Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda and Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz, who is one of the most prominent political chiefs and military men of the first War of Independence in Cuba.

"La Merced" Complex has been nominated to the National Award of Preservation because of the authenticity and the backup of its architecture, pointed out Guzmán Lastre.

The church is composed by three other buildings; its central tower was concluded in 1748 and was restored in 1848 and 2004.

The complex which has been considered one of the well-preserved buildings of the Island has vaulted roofs, due to this fact it is included in the list of the wonders of the civil engineering of Camagüey.

"La Merced" has one of the best known images of the region, el Santo Sepulcro (The Holy Sepulcher), which is considered a worthy goldwork.

The National Awards of these two categories will be released on April 18th at Hotel Sevilla, Havana, because of the International Day of the Monuments.

(Adelante.cu)