The building of the Purisma Concepcion Cathedral was truly a labor of love by the people of Cienfuegos. In 1846, when the small parish church on this site on the east side of José Martí Park needed to be expanded, the governor of the region enlisted the ladies of the church auxiliary to raise funds. Imagine the creativity and hard work these women provided through concerts, dances, family gatherings, dramatic events and even cockfights to quickly gather enough money for the construction.
By 1850, a high altar was installed and the church acquired a Spanish statue of an image of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of Cienfuegos. The first bell tower was also built at this time. Notice the difference in height of the two towers today. During upgrades beginning in 1866, rather than tear down the first smaller tower, part of the original labor of love, the townspeople asked that the second taller tower simply be added.
Community members contributed to the church as it expanded. Tomás Terry, who built the grand theater bearing his name on an adjacent side of José Martí Park, donated bells and the church’s first organ. Other wealthy families contributed altars, doors, floor marble and other ornamentation. In particular, notice the 12 beautiful Parisian stained-glass windows depicting the apostles, provided by Pedro Eduardo Dorticós. Artists and tradespeople made cabinets, candles, linens, silver, vases, embroidery and paintings to beautify the interior.
Visit the Purisma Concepcion Cathedral for early morning service in Spanish any day of the week. The church is generally open for visitors every morning and does not charge a fee. Enjoy the calm serenity and sense of community inside this structure that is so important to the history of Cienfuegos. Outside, see the other buildings surrounding José Martí Park that have earned the city a listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
