Cuba, Napoleon Museum reopening

Reopens the Napoleonic Museum of Havana, an institution that holds pieces of artistic and historical value Abel Oliveras (AIN) Havana, The Napoleonic Museum of Havana was inaugurated today with the presence of Princess Alix de Foresta, Napoleon's family, who donated pieces of porcelain to the prestigious Cuban institution. The distinguished guest presented the museum part of chinaware, a gift from Napoleon Bonaparte to his brother Jerome on the day of his wedding. He appreciated the gesture as a recognition of the imperial family who preserved this heritage. Alix de Foresta, Princess Napoleon, Marie is a widow of Louis Bonaparte, Prince Napoleon, a descendant of King Jerome, the younger brother of French Emperor. After three years of restoration, the mansion, named for its owner, the Italian-Cuban political Orestes Ferrara, as "Dulce Morada", reopened its doors. The institution has a collection of nearly eight thousand pieces such as paintings, armor, sculpture and jewelry. Eusebio Leal, Historian of Havana, in his words during the ceremony to reopen the building, said this is one of the most precious works of Cuban architects, Evelio Govantes and Felix Cabarrocas. He praised the rescue and conservation of the building and the assets that holds, by workers and specialists from the Directorate of Cultural Heritage of the Office of the Historian of the City. For its part Fredéric Doré, French ambassador to Cuba, said the museum has one of the finest collections of materials relating to Napoleon, brought by the Bonapartist who took refuge on the island, by Dr. Francois Antommarchi and tycoon Julio Lobo sugar industry, an admirer of the emperor.