Trinidad Landmarks and Monuments

(Trinidad, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba)

Most of the landmark buildings in Trinidad are now in use as museums or government centres, although several tall towers dominate the townscape, such as both the Manacas Iznaga Tower and the Bell Tower of the Convent of St. Francis.

Parks and traditional Cuban neighbourhoods, such as the fishing village of La Boca, the harbour area (Puerto de Casilda) and the local bazaar, are all monuments of Trinidad's development and gradual evolution over the centuries.

Trinidad Bazaar

Address: Calle Antonio Macea, Trinidad, Cuba, CU
Trinidad's bazaar is a tradition in the town and offers everything from fresh local foodstuffs through to genuine Cuban handicrafts and old, (or even antique) furniture and artefacts. It is a scruffy, atmospheric place typical of the real Cuba and a good spot where tourists can enjoy some fun souvenir shopping.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Puerto de Casilda

Address: Puerto de Casilda, Trinidad, Cuba, CU
The town's ancient port, Puerta de Casilda, once a bustling trade centre, is located around 7 km / 4 miles from the centre of town and is now little more than a fishing village. Boats leave for nearby islands and there is a marina for visiting yachts, but the memory of the many thousands of slaves who were unloaded here en route to the sugar plantations still lingers as a monument to their tragic fate.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Manacas Iznaga Tower (La Torre Manacas Iznaga)

Address: Valle de los Ingenios, Trinidad, Cuba, CU
Faintly resembling a small Tower of Pisa without the tilt, this tower, erected by the largest slave-owning family in Trinidad (the Iznagas), is a silent memorial of a past characterised by cruelty in the pursuit of riches. Now a well-known local landmark, the tower was built in 1816, reputedly to imprison Alejo Iznaga's unfaithful wife, and contains three bronze bells, originally rung to signify the end of the day's work or an escape by a slave. For a small charge it is possible to climb to the top and enjoy some breathtaking views.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge

La Canchanchara

Address: Real Boca, Trinidad, Cuba, CU
This is the most famous and the oldest tavern in Trinidad, built in 1723 and with its original cedar roof still intact. For almost 300 years this place has been serving the regional tipple, canchanchara, a heady mix of lemon juice, honey and Cuban rum served in glazed pots. Apart from its strength, its main claim to fame is that it was the favourite drink of the Cuban Liberation Army in the region.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Bell Tower of the Convent of St. Francis (Campanario del Convento de San Francisco)

Address: Trinidad, Cuba, CU
Visible from all across town is the bell tower of this former convent. This tall and highly distinctive landmark is actually the only surviving part of the 18th-century building, although the reconstruction was to the original design. The structure now houses yet another museum celebrating the defeat of the counterrevolutionary forces.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free