Berny's photos

Edificio Colonial (1930), Calle Reina no. 315 - La Habana

La Habana / Reina - Art déco jewels everywhere....I can't get enough of it ;-)

Just beneath the Masonic building begins the Avenida Simon Bolivar ("Reina"), which contains also several beautiful old buildings. It's the next street we walk down. To the right is the catholic temple Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, which was built between 1914 and 1923.

José Martí inside the Freemason building in Havana - The security man forbid to go any further ;-) - see PiP's

Masonic symbols on the roof, see PiP's for more details

This beautiful and impressing building at the end of the walk along the Padre Varela is home of the "Gran Logia de Cuba", founded in 1876. It's the only Masonic lodge in the world, which can freely work in a communist country. After the revolution in 1959 Fidel Castro never forbid it, on contrary, Freemasons supported his politics. The eleven storey building (1955, architect Emilio Vasconcelos) is situated at no. 508 Avenida Salvador Allende. Allende himself was Freemason and a good friend of Fidel. Freemasonry in Cuba has about 30000 members, which is pretty much for a country of this size.