Due South; or, Cuba Past and PresentBallou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
History
Due South; or, Cuba Past and Present
Ballou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
Cuba
The cathedral of Havana, on Empedrado Street, is a structure of much
interest, its rude pillared front of defaced and moss-grown stone
plainly telling of the wear of time. The two lofty towers are hung
with many bells, which daily call with their brazen tongues to matins
and vespers. Some of these bells are very ancient. The church is not
elaborately ornamented,--it rather strikes one with its unusual
plainness. It contains a few oil paintings of moderate merit, and also
the tomb where the ashes of Columbus so long reposed. All that is
visible of this tomb, which is on the right of the altar, is a marble
tablet six or eight feet square, upon which, in high relief, is a bust
of the great discoverer. As a work of art, the less said of this
effigy the better. Beneath the image is an inscription sufficiently
bombastic and Spanish in tone, but therein we observed no mention was
made of the chains and imprisonment with which an ungrateful country
rewarded this man whom history so delights to honor. It will be
remembered that Columbus died at Valladolid in 1506. In 1513 his
remains were transferred to Seville, preparatory to their being sent,
as desired in his will, to St. Domingo, to which city they were
removed in 1536. When that island was ceded to France, they were
brought with great pomp to Havana in a national ship (January 15,
1796), and deposited in this cathedral in the presence of all the high
authorities of the island. These remains have again been removed, and
are now interred at Seville, in Spain. The cathedral, aside from this
association, is really attractive, and one lingers with quiet
thoughtfulness among its marble aisles and confessionals. The lofty
dome is supported by pillars of marble and the walls are frescoed. The
high altar is a remarkable composition, with pillars of porphyry
mingled with a confusion of images, candlesticks, and tinsel. The
stalls for the priests are handsomely carved in mahogany. It was
annoying to see Gothic grandeur and modern frippery so mingled as was
observable in this church. When mass is being performed women attend
in goodly numbers, but one rarely sees any of the male population
present, unless they be, like the author, strangers come hither from
curiosity to see the interior of this Cathedral de la Virgen Maria de
la Concepcion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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