Plaza Vieja hosts Plaza Viva on 6 November 2026
Published on 10/31/2026 at 09:48 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSPlaza Viva and heritage setting
- Plaza Viva begins at Plaza Vieja on 6 November 2026 under the Office of the Historian of Havana.
- Festival Fiñes closes with an arts programme that continues at the former Palace of the Counts of Jaruco.
- Havana was founded in 1519, and Plaza Vieja forms part of UNESCO-listed Old Havana.
- UNESCO identifies five large plazas within the historic centre of Old Havana.
Plaza Vieja hosts Plaza Viva in Havana on 6 November 2026, an arts and music event marking the city anniversary and closing the first Festival Fiñes. The programme begins in the square before continuing at a community cultural venue in Old Havana.
Plaza Viva begins at the square on 6 November
The event is dedicated to children, teenagers and young people, and is inspired by the book Fiñes by the late Havana historian Eusebio Leal. The Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana coordinates the programme with the José Martí Art Instructors Brigades, the Asociación Hermanos Saíz, Casa Editora Abril and the Egrem recording and publishing company.
The organiser’s programme lists a 2pm local start at Plaza Vieja on 6 November 2026. The event then concludes at the Espacio para el Desarrollo Cultural Comunitario, housed in the former Palace of the Counts of Jaruco, with a concert titled La Habana desde el balcón featuring members of the Asociación Hermanos Saíz. The November programme for Plaza Viva places the opening and the later concert in the same city-centre sequence.
Plaza Vieja links the programme to Havana heritage
The square sits within the historic centre of Havana, whose urban pattern includes five large plazas with distinct architectural characters. UNESCO lists Plaza Vieja alongside Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco, Plaza del Cristo and Plaza de la Catedral in its description of Old Havana and its fortification system.
Havana was founded by the Spanish in 1519, and its old centre retains Baroque and neoclassical monuments, arcaded houses, balconies, wrought-iron gates and internal courtyards. The relationship between Plaza Viva and the historic setting is direct: the event begins in one of the five recognised urban spaces before moving into a former palace used for community cultural development. UNESCO records the heritage framework and the role of the Office of the Historian in continuing restoration work in the historic centre. UNESCO’s Old Havana record identifies the square and its surrounding urban structure.
Visiting Plaza Vieja: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Plaza Viva begins at Plaza Vieja in Havana on 6 November 2026 and later concludes at the former Palace of the Counts of Jaruco.
- The event changes the visit from a normal walk through the square to a public arts and music programme connected with the closing of Festival Fiñes.
- Plaza Vieja is in the historic centre of Havana, within the UNESCO-listed Old Havana and its fortification system.
- Old Havana is structured around five large plazas, and the surrounding historic fabric includes arcades, balconies, wrought-iron gates and internal courtyards.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Plaza Vieja on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Plaza Vieja
When does Plaza Viva take place at Plaza Vieja?
Plaza Viva begins at the square on 6 November 2026 before continuing at the former Palace of the Counts of Jaruco.
What is Plaza Vieja?
It is one of the five large plazas identified by UNESCO within the historic centre of Old Havana.
Where is Plaza Vieja and how do you get there?
Plaza Vieja is in the historic centre of Havana, within the UNESCO-listed Old Havana and its fortification system.
