The Casa de la Obra Pía (House of Charitable Works, Obrapía #158, tel. 07/861-3097, Tues.–Sat. 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9:30 a.m.–noon, free), 20 meters west of Mercaderes, comprises two adjacent houses that were later combined. This splendid mansion was built in 1665 by Capitán Martín Calvo de la Puerta y Arrieta, the Cuban solicitor general. (The house and street are named for his obra pía, or pious act, of devoting a portion of his wealth to sponsoring five orphan girls every year.)

The Calvo de Puertas family built additions in baroque style. Their coat of arms, surrounded by exuberant baroque stonework, is emblazoned above the massive portal, brought from Cádiz in 1686.

The mansion exemplifies the Spanish adaptation of a Moorish inner courtyard, illuminated by daylight filtering through mediopuntos fanning out like a peacock’s tail. It features art galleries, plus an exhibition of works by Alejo Carpentier in the foyer (including, rather incongruously, his blue Volkswagen brought back from Paris after his tenure as Cuban ambassador to UNESCO).