Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain (must see)
At the time of the British takeover in 1797, the Christian population of Trinidad and Tobago was mostly Roman Catholic. Something had to be done! Anglican priests received royal appointments to establish the Anglican Church in the islands. Until the cathedral opened, the Spanish-built Moorish-style town council building harbored the congregation.
The present Cathedral stands on the site of a much earlier church that burned in the Great Fire of 1808. The new church was consecrated in May 1823. The style of the Cathedral mixes Gothic Revival with elements of the Victorian age. It was designed by British architect and colonial secretary Phillip Reinagle.
The Cathedral design stresses the idea of altitude. The structure features buttresses with pinnacles. An overly tall bell tower and steeply angled pitched roofs are over the nave and chancel. The Gothic Revival finds further expression in the lancet stained-glass windows and pointed arch double doors.
Construction materials included blue limestone from the Laventille Hills, lime mortar and yellow brick transported from the Hollington quarries in England. The roof is supported by hammer beams of carved mahogany. The wooden pews are also carved in mahogany. There are eight flags in the apse for each of the islands.
The Cathedral is surrounded by well-tended lawns and gardens guarded by a wrought iron fence. It is not such a roomy structure, but it offers a tranquil refuge from the madding crowds of downtown Port of Spain.
The present Cathedral stands on the site of a much earlier church that burned in the Great Fire of 1808. The new church was consecrated in May 1823. The style of the Cathedral mixes Gothic Revival with elements of the Victorian age. It was designed by British architect and colonial secretary Phillip Reinagle.
The Cathedral design stresses the idea of altitude. The structure features buttresses with pinnacles. An overly tall bell tower and steeply angled pitched roofs are over the nave and chancel. The Gothic Revival finds further expression in the lancet stained-glass windows and pointed arch double doors.
Construction materials included blue limestone from the Laventille Hills, lime mortar and yellow brick transported from the Hollington quarries in England. The roof is supported by hammer beams of carved mahogany. The wooden pews are also carved in mahogany. There are eight flags in the apse for each of the islands.
The Cathedral is surrounded by well-tended lawns and gardens guarded by a wrought iron fence. It is not such a roomy structure, but it offers a tranquil refuge from the madding crowds of downtown Port of Spain.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Port of Spain. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Holy Trinity Cathedral on Map
Sight Name: Holy Trinity Cathedral
Sight Location: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (See walking tours in Port of Spain)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (See walking tours in Port of Spain)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Create Your Own Walk in Port of Spain
Creating your own self-guided walk in Port of Spain is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historic Buildings Walking Tour
A group of mansions in northern Port of Spain, located on Maraval Road, to the west of the Queen's Park Savannah, is known colloquially as 鈥淭he Magnificent Seven鈥�. They were built between 1902 and 1910 on the land that was previously used as a government stock farm. Together with the nearby President's House, the official residence of the President of Trinidad and Tobago, which is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Port of Spain Introduction Walk
Port of Spain was once the site of a fishing village of Amerindian people. It was called "Place of the silk cotton trees." By 1560, a Spanish garrison was stationed in the area. By 1757, the village had changed to the capital of the Port of Spain.
The last Spanish governor of Trinidad, Don Jose Chacon, opened the colony to French Catholic immigrants. The population grew and the town... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
The last Spanish governor of Trinidad, Don Jose Chacon, opened the colony to French Catholic immigrants. The population grew and the town... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles