I'm looking for historical pictures of The Municipal Palace in Havana,
Cuba, pre-Castro.  Hopefully, the picture(s) will show the outside of
the building that supposedly had cast iron mermaid lamps as part of
its decoration.  I have a picture of one of these mermaids that now
reside in Cozumel, Mexico, which is where we heard the story of them
coming from Cuba.  If the picture would help, I can send it.  Can you
help me?

Thank you.

Susan G. Baum

Hi sgbaum,

 What an interesting question! I truly lost myself reading about La
Habana Vieja, or Old Havana, while trying to find a photo of the
mermaid lamps. Sadly, I was unable to find any photos depicting the
iron lamps. I conducted a search in English and Spanish. I called a
Cuban friend of mine who asked her perents (natives of Havana) who
remember the building, but don't seem to know anything about mermaid
lamps. I wonder if the lamps were inside, or perhaps in an inner
courtyard, not easily seen by the public.

 I was able to find some older pictures, and provided you with some
newer ones was well.

 According to the Gran Caribe site, the Municipal Palace, once called
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (loosely translated as the Palace
of the Commanding Generals), of Old Habana, Cuba, was the presidential
palace, then the municipal palace until Castro. It now houses the La
Habana City Museum (Museo de la Ciudad de la Habana). This building
seems to have had several names, numerous occupants, and several
additions and ?facelifts? over the years.
http://www.grancaribe.cu/english/old_havana.asp

Here is a picture from 1950?s, but the lamps can?t be seen!
http://www.guije.com/tarjetas/habana/edificaciones/index.htm

There are three pictures on this page, from the 30?s, 40?s and 50?s.
Still no lamps can be seen.
http://www.guije.com/tarjetas/habana/edificaciones/presidente/index.htm

An illustration from 1905, again, no lamps seen.
http://www.guije.com/tarjetas/habana/habanacolonial/palacio/


A dedication plaque on the palace says construction on the Palace
began in 1776. It was home to the governor and Commander General
Felipe Fonsdeviela Marques de la Torre. The Palace was also occupied
by the Americans 1899-1902.
http://www.cba.uri.edu/Faculty/jarrett/Cuba/cu215.jpg

Room inside the Palacio Municipal
http://www.cba.uri.edu/Faculty/jarrett/Cuba/cu217.jpg

Old Havana, Cuba
http://www.uri.edu/cba/mgs/jjarrett/Havana3.htm

Scroll down to almost the middle of the page:
http://www.juanperez.com/homenaje/homenajeI.htm

Former Municipal Palace
http://www.geo.unipr.it/~davide/cuba/images/santiago.gif


Newer photos?
http://alai.cigb.edu.cu/images/La%20Habana/Capitanes%20Generales%20half.JPG

http://facweb.furman.edu/~dstanford/jc/sta1727.jpg

http://www.nnc.cubaweb.cu/novena/habana/big_museoc1.htm

http://facweb.furman.edu/~dstanford/jc/sta1724.jpg

http://facweb.furman.edu/~dstanford/jc/sta2005.jpg

http://www.lockport-ny.com/images/Havana_Revoluntary_Museum.jpg


I'm sorry I was unable to locate photos of the mermaid lamps for you,
but I did spend hours searching! I hope the palace pictures, however,
will be useful. I was also unable to find the lamp you mentioned that
is now in Cozumel, Mexico. If any part of my answer is unclear, please
request an Answer Clarification, before rating. This will allow me to
assist you further, if possible.

Sincerely,
crabcakes

PS. It appears that the illustration posted by the commenter below is
located in the city of Colón, Panamá, and NOT Cuba.

Search Terms

palacio municipal la habana cuba
Museo de la Ciudad de la Habana
Lampara sirenas la habana cuba
City Museum Havana Cuba
Municipal Palace Havana Cuba
Mermaid lamps municipal palace Havana

http://www.trainweb.org/panama/colon/palaciomunicipal.jpg