Segundo Cabo Palace, Old Havana

Visit the Palacio del Segundo Cabo and discover one of the most majestic palaces in Old Havana, Cuba

Segundo Cabo Palace ©W.Méndez.

The Palacio del Segundo Cabo (Palace of Segundo Cabo), also known as Palacio de la Intendencia or Real Casa de Correos (Independence Palacce or Royal House of Correos), is located in the north of the Plaza de Armas, next to the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, in Old Havana.

This majestic palace, like the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (Captain General’s Palace), is of neoclassical style. It was built in 1772, in local limestone, full of cavities and marine limestone incrustations.

Its construction was an initiative of the Marqués de la Torre, governor of Cuba, who commissioned four large buildings to fence off the Plaza de Armas. Eventually, only this building and the Captains Generals’ Palace, which today serves as the City Museum, were built.

The building was constructed initially as headquarters of the Spanish vice-governor and after several renovations it functioned as a post office, Senate Palace, Supreme Court, headquarters of the National Academy of Arts and Letters or headquarters of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba. Today, it is under the protection of the project ’Rescate patrimonial y desarrollo cultural en La Habana’’ (''Patrimonial Rescue and Cultural Development in Havana'') which is directed by the Oficina del Historiador de La Ciudad (Historian Office of the City).

The beautiful arches, located in the portico of its main facade, which looks directly at the Plaza de Armas, are a real eye-catcher. In the shady portico there is a magnificent doorway and the vestibule, which leads to a beautiful Andalusian-style courtyard with abundant vegetation.

Inside, the Raúl Martínez Gallery is a magnificent example of pop art. The interior also has large a space for offices and ceremonial rooms, very similar to those found in other colonial buildings. The palace has recently undergone a major renovation. Reopened as a museum where technology and tradition converge, visitors can create their own tour as they interact with the pieces it displays. The cultural processes and the passage of time become, thanks to technology, a great experience for your trip.

A curious fact about the Palacio del Segundo Cabo is that it was the first building to serve as an official support for the bandera de la estrella solitaria (lone star flag).

More Information:

Location:

O'Reilly nº4, (Plaza de Armas), La Habana Vieja, Cuba.

Entrance Price:

1 CUC.

Gallery Hours:

Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 17:00.
Sundays from 9:30 to 13:00

Interactive map:

What to see in Old Havana

Other nearby destinations:

Why "Trip Cuba"?

Trip Cuba is an organization of Cuban agencies whose objectives are:

✓ To make Cuba, its culture and its heritage known.
✓ To promote sustainable tourism.
✓ To support the local economy, prioritizing direct contact with Cuban agencies.

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