Diana Hotel . Old hotel located in the Historic Center of the City of Matanzas . Considered a Luxury Hotel in its time, the construction of this building was significant for the city due to its three-story architecture and its original use. It was the first three-story, high-rise building built in the city of Matanzas. Inaugurated in 1861 , it served as a hotel until 1887 , when the building was used for other purposes. The place where the hotel was installed still exists and is located in La Plaza de La Libertad, formerly Plaza de Armas, today Parque de La Libertad . Since 1830 , a store of the same name had been operating on the site.
Summary
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- 1 Historical review
- 1 First owners of the property
- 2 Reasons for its construction
- 3 First tribute to José Martí
- 2Arquitectura
- 1 Current description
- 3 Other uses given to the property
- 1 News
- 4 Sources
Historical review
First owners of the property
The first owner was Don Joaquín Ferrer, who in that same year 1830 sold it to D. Lope Dávalos; from then on he is the absolute owner for having bought the useful domain. After 1880 others succeeded him.
Reasons for its construction
In 1856 Matanzas had few buildings of two floors or more; The issue was constantly considered in the press: that the Plaza de Armas deserved buildings worthy of more than one floor in correspondence with the Government building, and that it should be built in the manner of Europe was a matter of concern for urban planners, architects, engineers and chroniclers. However, some had already been built in squares or in places close to them, with two floors or more if the mezzanine is included.
Others were built, but their location had to be like this, in open spaces or close to them, the narrowness of the streets of Matanzas did not allow anything else, otherwise it was detrimental to its urban image. It is evident that Matanzas lacked a large luxury hotel, so this was necessary.
First tribute to José Martí
It is noteworthy that the first homage to José Martí was made there in 1916 , as stated on a plaque placed on its side façade on Milanés Street on July 21 , 1991 .
Architecture
Despite the other uses given to the property, a current analysis of its architecture makes it possible to affirm that the property was built for the function of a hotel. The characteristics of its architecture correspond to those of a hotel in terms of the distribution of its spaces and its uses. Period descriptions come to reaffirm that its function was never domestic, that it was conceived for a civil construction and its uses were in correspondence with it.
current description
Matanzas Secondary Education Institute.
A current description defines it as a three-story building, highly transformed on the inside, whose structure is based on load-bearing walls with mezzanines made of old putty slabs. The floor plan is developed around a central patio, with numerous additions that make it difficult to read it, surrounded by arches that on the ground floor would lead to the social spaces and galleries on the upper levels that connect the rooms. There is a staircase where the original one must have been that communicates at all levels and finally leads to the roof, covered with racilla.
The facade is characterized by the use of elements such as platbands, dust covers, friezes and cornices. The second level is surrounded in its entire perimeter by a continuous balcony, and the third is identified by the use of independent balconies in each room. The floors have been replaced for the most part and the carpentry is very transformed, conserving only the façade, fundamentally on the upper levels, characterized mostly by panel doors.
Despite the transformations it has undergone, the building, due to its location and the characteristics of its architecture, can be used in the function that originated it.
Other uses given to the property
The Secondary Education Institute was installed in the premises in 1903 , and in 1921 the Colegio La Luz until the nationalization of education by the Revolutionary Government . From then on it is occupied by several institutions or organizations.
Present
Today the offices of the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba and the municipal unions are installed in the premises , as well as a cafeteria.