 It is named after the nearby Convento de San Francisco de Asís, a Franciscan convent built between 1575 and 1591.The iconic Fuente de los Leones, built by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Gaggini, was installed in 1836.In 1761, José Martín Félix de Arrate, Mayor of Havana, considered the "Plaza" to be the best place in the city.