Originally constructed in 1695, this church was pounded by a ferocious hurricane in 1846, after which it was entirely rebuilt in neo-Gothic style. Among the notable historical and literary figures that have passed through its handsome doors are 19th-century Cuban novelist Cirilo Villaverde, who set the main scene of his novel Cecilia Valdés here, and Félix Varela and José Martí, who were baptized in the church in 1788 and 1853 respectively.
The church has been renovated, as has the tiny colonial square, the Plazuela de Santo Ángel , now embellished with a statue, a private restaurant and an artist's studio.
