Trinidad, Cuba

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This article is about the Cuban town. For other uses, see Trinidad (disambiguation).
Trinidad, Cuba
Villa De la Santísima Trinidad
Municipality
Trinidad
The Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco in Trinidad

Coat of arms
Trinidad municipality (red) within
Sancti Spíritus Province (yellow) and Cuba
Location of Trinidad in Cuba
Coordinates: 21°48′15″N 79°58′59″W / 21.80417°N 79.98306°W / 21.80417; -79.98306Coordinates: 21°48′15″N 79°58′59″W / 21.80417°N 79.98306°W / 21.80417; -79.98306
Country Cuba
Province Sancti Spíritus
Founded December 23, 1514[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 1,155 km2 (446 sq mi)
Elevation 80 m (260 ft)
Population (2004)[3]
 • Total 73,466
 • Density 63.6/km2 (165/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
Area code(s) +53-41

Trinidad (Spanish pronunciation: [tɾiniˈðað]) is a town in the province of Sancti Spíritus, central Cuba. Together with the nearby Valle de los Ingenios, it has been one of UNESCOs World Heritage sites since 1988. The city is located on Caribbean coast near the Escambray Mountains.

History

Trinidad was founded on December 23, 1514[1] by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar under the name Villa De la Santísima Trinidad. Francisco Iznaga, a rich Basque landowner in the southern portion of Cuba during the first 30 years of the colonization of Cuba, was elected Mayor of Bayamo in 1540. Iznaga was the originator of a powerful lineage that finally settled in Trinidad where the Torre Iznaga is. His descendents fought for the Independence of Cuba and the Annexation to the U.S. from 1820 to 1900. It is one of the best preserved cities in the Caribbean from the time when the sugar trade was the main industry in the region.

Geography

The town proper is divided into the barrios (quarters) of Primero, Segundo and Tercero. The whole municipality counts the consejos populares (villages) of Aguacate, Cabagán, Caracusey, Casilda, Guaniquical, Río de Ay, San Francisco, San Pedro and Táyaba.[1]

Economy

Nowadays, Trinidad's main industry is tobacco processing. The older parts of town are well preserved as the Cuban tourism industry sees benefit from tour groups. In contrast, some parts of town outside the non-tourist areas are very run down and in disrepair, especially in the center.

Culture

Town

Plaza Mayor
Main article: Plaza Mayor, Trinidad, Cuba

The Plaza Mayor of Trinidad is a plaza and an open air museum of Spanish colonial architecture. Only a few square blocks in size, the historic plaza area has cobblestone streets, pastel coloured houses with wrought-iron grills, and colonial era edifices such as the Santísima Trinidad Cathedral and Convento de San Francisco. The Municipal History Museum is in town also.

Music

There are several casas de musica, including one next to the cathedral in Plaza Major. There are also discothèques, including one in church ruins, and another in a large cave formerly used as a war time hospital.

Region

Sugar mills

The Valley of the Sugar Mills—Valle de los Ingenios, also a World Heritage Site, has around 70 historic sugar mills. They represent the importance of sugar to the Cuban economy over the centuries. It has la Torre Iznaga, a 45 metres (148 ft) tower built by Alejo Iznaga Borrell in 1816.

Coasts and beaches

20 kilometres (12 mi) from the city is Topes de Collantes, one of Cuba’s premier ecotourism centres. Another attraction is the Casilda Bay, which attracts both snorkelers and divers. A nearby islet has pristine beaches. Ancon Beach—Playa Ancon is a white sand beach and was one of the first new resorts to be developed in Cuba following the 1959 revolution. Along the Ancon Peninsula are three hotels: Hotel Costa Sur (South Coast Hotel), Hotel Ancon, and Brisas Trinidad del Mar.

Demographics

In 2004, the municipality of Trinidad had a population of 73,466.[3] With a total area of 1,155 km2 (446 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 63.6 /km2 (165 /sq mi).

Photo gallery

  • Plaza Mayor and Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco

  • Plaza Mayor

  • A typical colonial street in October 2000.

  • Town hall

  • Street

  • Street

  • Street

  • Trinidad just before a storm

  • Children in Trinidad

  • Playa Ancón

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Guije.com. "Trinidad". Retrieved 2007-10-07.  (Spanish)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Statoids (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba". Retrieved 2007-10-07. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-07.  (Spanish)

Further reading

External links

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Cuba
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