Royal Bank of Canada Building, Havana

Summary

Royal Bank of Canada Building, Havana is a Neoclassical-style bank building located at corner of Calles Aguiar and Obrapia in Habana Vieja. The ground floor was dedicated to the bank, the other floors to offices that were rented; a floor was added (seventh floor) for a semiprivate restaurant and club.

Royal Bank of Canada Building
Map
Former namesRoyal Bank of Canada
General information
TypeCommercial
Architectural styleNeoclassical
LocationHabana Vieja
AddressCalle Aguiar 367
Town or city Ciudad de La Habana
CountryCuba Cuba
Coordinates23°08′17.4″N 82°21′09.3″W / 23.138167°N 82.352583°W / 23.138167; -82.352583
Current tenantsTribunal Supremo Popular
Construction started1917
Opened1919
Closed1960
OwnerBank of Canada
Technical details
Structural systemSteel frame
Floor count7
Lifts/elevators2[1]
Design and construction
Architect(s)Godfrey Davenport
Architecture firmPurdy and Henderson
Website
www.tsp.gob.cu/es

Built in 1917, the building was designed by New York-based firm Purdy and Henderson, Engineers, but supervised by Sumner Godfrey Davenport, who would subsequently join the bank in Havana in 1920. In the same year Davenport moved to Canada to become the bank's chief architect.[2]

This building would be one of Royal Bank of Canada's 65 branches that existed in the 1920s and 24 by the time it was forced to close in 1960.[3][4]

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Habana Radio. "Paseo del Prado". Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Davenport, Sumner Godfrey - Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada". dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org.
  3. ^ Philcovex (4 March 2013). "Postal History Corner: 1939 The Royal Bank of Canada and Rocket Mail".
  4. ^ "RBC weighs return to 'attractive' Cuba market as U.S. relations warm" – via The Globe and Mail.