The Jesuits began the cathedral, with plans approved in 1727 and groundbreaking in 1748. King Charles III expelled the order in 1767, and the article does not say who oversaw the final phase. It was completed in 1777 and consecrated in 1782. The article names no architect.
The front elevation is Baroque, and the early 19th-century altars are neoclassical. It is built of load-bearing coral stone blocks, with fossilized marine remains visible in the walls, and eight exterior flying arches buttress the nave. The Latin cross plan measures about 98 by 161 feet (30 by 49 m), with a nave about 49 feet (15 m) wide and eight side chapels.
Columbus's remains were kept in the cathedral from 1796 until their return to Spain in 1898. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana, in the Old Havana UNESCO site.
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