Restored Havana Convent Becomes School to Train Youth in Heritage Conservation

A 17th-century convent in the heart of Old Havana has been given new life, not only as a restored landmark, but as a hub for preserving the city’s architectural soul.

Once home to the first cloistered nuns in Cuba, the Convent of Santa Clara has reopened its doors with a new mission: to train young craftsmen and artisans in heritage conservation techniques. The initiative, backed by UNESCO and the Transcultura programme, aims to safeguard Old Havana’s historical legacy by equipping future generations with skills in trades that have all but vanished.

At the building’s inauguration on Tuesday, attended by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, archaeologist Alejandro Nolasco highlighted the deeper significance of the project. “We are not rescuing something just to say we have a beautiful building,” he said. “We are rescuing our historical memory—feeding the soul.”

Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982, showcases a unique blend of Baroque and neoclassical architecture, colonial-era homes, and cobblestone streets. But decades of economic hardship and lack of maintenance have left much of the district in disrepair.

The Santa Clara school seeks to reverse this trend by offering hands-on training informed by decades of experience from the Office of the Historian of Havana. Students will not only learn restoration techniques but will be immersed in the city’s living history.

Restoration in Havana has already borne fruit, with nearly 300 buildings renovated since 2014, creating vibrant public spaces, restaurants, and galleries. Yet the challenge remains steep, as Cuba continues to face shortages of fuel, food, and electricity, alongside a decline in tourism.

Still, projects like the Santa Clara school offer hope—reviving not just walls and rooftops, but also traditions, skills, and cultural pride.