Palacio de Aldama

The Palacio de Aldama hosted important social activities of the Havanan aristocracy of the late nineteenth century. It started to be built in 1840 by order of the landowner of Basque origin Mr Domingo Aldama y Aréchaga and was built following the Neoclassical style, although it has Baroque elements such as the arcades of the outer porch. It can be said that its main facade is one of the most beautiful in its style and genre in Havana. It consists of two houses that communicate inside, with large courtyards full of vegetation and spacious bedrooms, offices, dining rooms and service premises.

It has a colorful and wide main staircase with luxurious balustrades and bronze ornaments. In 1869 it was sacked by the Spanish Volunteers Army for alleged pro-independence activities of its owners and from then until now it has been the headquarters of the cigars and cigarettes factory 'La Corona', the English society 'The Havana Cigar and Tobacco Factories Limited', the Academia de Ciencias de Cuba, the Instituto de Etnología y Folklore and the Instituto de Historia de Cuba. It was declared National Monument on June 9, 1949.