i68 
THE STANDARD GUIDE. 
SAN CARLOS CLUB. 
As in all Cuban towns, the central plaza is the point about which 
cluster the public buildings, churches, hotels and clubs. The square was 
formerly called Plaza de la Re'ina (Plaza of the Queen), and afterward 
Plaza de Armas (Place of Arms), and then when Queen and foreign 
soldiery had passed out of Cuban history, it was rechristened Plaza de 
Cespedes, in commemoration of that patriot whom Cubans delight to honor. 
It is a pleasant spot, shaded by grand old India laurels and adorned with 
flowers and shrubs. On the north is the municipal building, which was 
formerly the Governor’s palace. On the east is the San Carlos Club, the 
richest club on the island outside of Havana; and adjoining this is the 
Casa Grande Hotel, south is the Cathedral. 
The Santiago Cathedral, the largest church on the island, is in the 
Hispano-American style, with two towers and a dome. The nave is very 
wide, and the side chapels are rich in rare marbles and fine mahogany. 
The stalls in the choir and the seats are of solid mahogany, and the effect 
is very rich. The vestments are exquisite examples of needlework wrought 
by the hands of pious women. Santiago became a bishopric in 1522, and 
has ever since been the metropolis of the Catholic Church in Cuba. The 
Cathedral is the third that has occupied this site. The first one was burnt, 
the second one was abandoned as unsafe, and eventually tumbled down, 
and the present building was erected in 1690. In the course of excavating 
among the ruins of the old for the new, there was brought to light a 
marble slab which proved to be the tombstone of Velazquez, and bore 
the date of his death, 1522. Formerly not only Cuba, but the two Floridas 
and Louisiana were under the Bishop of Santiago. In 1804 the diocese 
