Parque Ignacio Agramonte Dominating the park, the former Plaza de Armas, is an equestrian statue of Ignacio Agramonte, a Cuban Independence hero born in this city. Royal Palms stand at the four corners of this square, planted in memory of a group of nationalists executed here in February, 1851. As the Spanish didn’t allow them to build real monuments, they used to plant royal palms to commemorate important events. There are many buildings of interest around the square including Palacio Collado (1942), Bar El Cambio (1909), a colonial building housing La Volanta Restaurant, the Casa de la Trova Patricio Ballagas, the Biblioteca Julio Antonio Mella, and the cathedral.

Teatro Principal First opened in 1850 and rebuilt in 1926 after a devastating fire, this local theater is famous for being the home of the Camagüey Ballet, one of the leading dance companies in Latin America.

Iglesia de la Merced Built in 1601 and rebuilt in 1756, this is one of the most ancient churches in Cuba. It has a Baroque façade with a central bell tower. Impressive are the Art-Nouveau style murals, as well as the choir and the catacombs. However, most famous is the Holy Sepulcher with an 18th-century statue of Christ which was cast from 23,000 silver coins collected from the faithful by one of the citizens, Manuel Agüero, who after the death of his wife in 1726, became a monk in the Mercedarios Order and devoted himself to restoring the church.

Plaza San Juan de Dios The totally restored San Juan de Dios Square is not only a quiet, vivid spot, but also a gem of Colonial Architecture. It’s commonly called Plaza del Padre Olallo, in honor of a priest who is soon to be canonized for dedicating his life to caring for the sick in the city hospital. Some 18th-century pastel buildings are around the square, two of which are restaurants now. One of the sides is completely occupied by important buildings that include a church and a former hospital that now houses the Provincial Direction of Heritage and the Office of the Historian of the City. This body takes care of the cultural heritage of the city. The Church, also named San Juan de Dios, is one of the most interesting in the city, with its original floors, ceilings, and wooden choir. The most prominent feature of the Church is the high Altar with the Holy Trinity and an anthropomorphic representation of the Holy Ghost (The only one in Cuba).

Los Tinajones Introduced by Catalonian immigrants in the 1700s, these large earthenware jars are the symbol of the city. They can be seen everywhere, in parks, gardens, and especially in the courtyards of the local Colonial houses. They could be even 2 m tall made of clay from the nearby Sierra de Cubitas. They were used to collect rainwater and to store food. However, today they have a more ornamental value.

Museo Provincial Ignacio Agramonte This is the only military building in town. This museum features the cultural history, natural history and arts of the city. The prestigious art collection of the museum is second only to that of the Museo de Bellas Artes in Havana. It has three works by the famous Cuban artist Fidelio Ponce. It also has an exceptional collection of books, including some manuscripts by the Canaries writer Silvestre de Balboa, author of Espejo de Paciencia (Patience Mirror), regarded as the first literary work in Cuba.

Other Famous Camaguey Houses Other famous houses can be visited like the Casa Natal de Ignacio Agramonte, a famous local patriot who died in battle at the age of 32, and the Casa Natal de Nicolás Guillén, Cuba’s national poet.