“Birth House of Ignacio Agramonte” Museum

During the first decade of the 18th century a shed type house occupied this spot, later on, towards the second half of the century the Agramonte Recio family built the two-story house which now stands in its place.
Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz who became Major General of the Liberating Army in the 10-year war was born in this house on December 23 1841.
The house occupies a large area and volume, forming angles with the streets Soledad y Candelaria. Its main facade has a wide Spanish door in an elliptical arch flanked by two slender pilasters with threaded moldings, bearing as its only detail the family’s Coat of Arms. The continuous balcony with wooden posts finished with wooden capitals can be found on the front and lateral facades, distinguishing the building and bestowing upon it great architectural value. The mezzanine level is marked on the outside of both facades by two detached balconies. The building’s layout is C-shaped and has balcony with wooden posts looking down unto the interior courtyard, in which we can find five tinajones, and a well with a white marble rim.
Access is gained through the zaguan to the courtyard, secondary dormitories, or to the staitway that rises to the mezzanine level that housed the servants quarters.
On the uppermost floor the magnificent woodwork of the four-sloped roof with trusses, paired struts and fretwork can be observed as well as the exquisite frieze that adorns the spacious main room which is likewise decorated with the beautiful objects of that period.
All the interior and exterior carpentry reproduces faithfully details of the period, windows with shutters and asymmetrical bars, sculpted balusters and Spanish-style doors with smooth panels fixed by iron nails all offering security and beauty to the building.
Throughout time this house was used for different purposes, as the family home, business establishment and Spanish consulate among other uses. On May 11, 1973 it was inaugurated as a memorial house to commemorate the centenary of the Major’s death in combat.Because of this building’s historical and architectural importance it has been declared a national monument.