Plaza de Arms, Military parade ground in Old Havana, Cuba.
Plaza de Armas is the main square in Old Havana, featuring a marble monument to Carlos Manuel de Céspedes surrounded by royal palms and colonial structures dating from earlier centuries. The site connects directly to several major museums, making it a natural starting point for exploring the neighborhood's historical buildings.
The plaza originated in the 1520s and was initially called Plaza de Iglesia because a church occupied the space where the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales would later be built. The 1741 explosion of the Spanish warship Invencible destroyed the original parish church and triggered major reconstruction efforts that reshaped the square.
A second-hand book market operates here Monday through Saturday, bringing together readers and collectors who hunt for rare finds. The stalls have become a gathering place where visitors discover local and international publications alongside everyday stories.
Come early in the morning to see the book stalls in full activity and explore before midday heat sets in. Being close to several museums allows you to visit multiple locations in a single day without traveling far between sites.
The square served as a military drill ground for Spanish forces and retains this military heritage in its name to this day. This martial past remains visible in the geometric layout of the space and the arrangement of surrounding structures.
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