| The first manifestations of the plastic arts in Cuba | | | | houses and buildings were constructed under the |
| must be placed in the archaeological sites of the | | | | Moorish influence, with balconies and galleries covered |
| aboriginal villages where clay vessels and petal-shaped | | | | in the top floor with decorated ceilings. In the 17th |
| axes (finely polished symmetric stones) have been | | | | century the architecture on the island took shape with |
| found. These two elements were very characteristic | | | | the so called Cuban baroque. During this period a |
| of the most developed aboriginal group on the island. | | | | Cuban bourgeoisie began to rise intervening in the |
| Among the objects related to religious rites the cemies | | | | development of the economy. The United States of |
| are really abundant, idols or images carved in stone, | | | | America became independent from England and |
| clay, wood, shell, or coral reef; and the dujos, | | | | became the main consumer of the island. |
| four-legged wooden chairs whose back ended in a | | | | Already in the 18th century, the construction of the |
| curve with symbolic frames highly estimated by the | | | | churches had transversed coffered arches within the |
| value, delicacy and meticulosity of the carving. | | | | naves. An example of this is the church of |
| In the 16th century, the first streets were traced and | | | | Guanabacoa, attributed to Alejandro Hernández. In the |
| the first churches were built. A certificate from that | | | | towers of the churches, masonry pyramidal spirals |
| time states that in 1584 the painter Juan Camargo | | | | were used (square and polygonal towers) and the |
| was the first artist painting the altarpiece of the | | | | decoration used was basically the same, beautiful, |
| Parochial Church. The defense of the island, and | | | | elaborate carvings. The Cathedral of Havana is |
| especially Havana, against the attacks of pirates and | | | | finished in 1748 emerging with its construction the |
| privateers was of paramount importance; that is the | | | | ornamental motif "la Habanera Jamba" and the |
| reason why military constructions were built in the first | | | | suppression of pedestals. |
| place, following the religious constructions and the civil | | | | It is known that in this construction the Spanish Pedro |
| constructions in that order. | | | | de Medina from Cadiz and the Havanan Fernández |
| The churches made of masonry usually only had one | | | | Trevejos participated. Its baroque style can be found in |
| nave, the exterior quite restrained. However, some | | | | the movement of the façade on both sides of the |
| churches were decorated with towers to one side; | | | | main gates, the use of undulant, crooked lines and the |
| and to others lateral naves were added, henceu the | | | | use of crosswise columns and spirals at the cornices. |
| reason why today we can see two octagonal small | | | | The interior was covered in wood; nonetheless, almost |
| towers that complement harmoniously the two bodies | | | | at the end of the 19th century it was covered in |
| of the facade in some cases. The interiors of the | | | | plaster resembling gothic vaults and decorative |
| churches were decorated with carved images having | | | | paintings were added. |
| colors of certain value and made of precious and fine | | | | Fine instances of the Cuban baroque are the House of |
| woods; and with very elaborate candelabra, | | | | the Government and the Post Office both located in |
| tabernacles, and missals which were fundamentally | | | | the Arms Square, the Castle of La Fuerza and El |
| donations. | | | | Templete (with exception of La Fuerza, the rest of the |
| During the 16th century and from that moment on, | | | | buildings date from the 19th century). |