Plaza de Armas

Located in the heart of Havana’s old town, Plaza de Armas is the city’s oldest town square, dating back to 1519. Back then, it was known as Plaza de la Iglesia, or Church Square, named after the Iglesia Parroquial Mayor, the church that stood here until its demolition in 1776. Over time, the square evolved from a religious space into a military one. As soldiers began using it for training exercises, it took on a new name: Plaza de Armas — the Square of Arms. By the 19th century, the plaza had become a prime location for military parades and formal gatherings. The nobility would attend in person, while the island’s Captain General watched the festivities from the balcony of his palace. Though the square has been redesigned and restored many times over the centuries, its current appearance mirrors how it looked in 1841 — with one key difference: the statue at its center. In 1955, it was replaced with a monument honouring Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, the leader of Cuba’s first war of independence.