The Villa de la Santísima Trinidad (Holy Trinity), one of the first villages founded by the Spanish conquistadors in the Cuban archipelago, is a true treasure of culture and history, boasting numerous patrimonial values in a perfect state of preservation.
The development of the so-called leisure industry in the largest Antillean Island has also reached the said city, located in the central region of the country, turned into a must for thousands of vacationers who visit Cuba every year to learn about the island's history.
Founded in 1514 by Governor Diego Velázquez, Trinidad has one of the best-preserved colonial-style architecture in the entire American continent, and was declared World Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
According to experts, a true mixture of architectural styles from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries characterizes Trinidad's history center, with its narrow cobblestone streets flanked by buildings with beautiful woodworks, artistic iron-wrought railings and decorated walls.
The Plaza Mayor, or Great Square, the main axis of the centuries-old village, holds a statue of Terpsichore, the muse of choral songs and the dance, and is surrounded by the singular beauty of the Holy Trinity Church, which is a loyal guardian of valuable pieces from the island's religious treasure.
Among those treasures are the Christ of Vera Cruz and a marble altar dedicated to the Virgin of Mercy, the only one of its kind in the country.
The squares of Santa Ana and Tres Cruces (Three Crosses), the San Francis Bell Tower, and many small palaces give a touch of unique beauty to the city, where great efforts are made every year to preserve its centuries-old buildings.
Among Trinidad's major buildings is Count Brunet's Palace, which currently houses the Romantic Museum, and whose first owner was closely linked to the construction of a theater named after him and the development of a railroad line between the city and the port of Casilda.
The museum's 14 halls exhibit pieces from the decorative arts, including chinaware and glassworks, which are rich in multicolor paintings and golden lines, and many of which were directly ordered to European factories centuries ago.
Other important buildings are the Cantero Palace, which is a three-story edifice with a lookout, and the Borrell Palace, which is famous for the mural paintings on its walls.
The turbulences that characterized previous centuries, including the presence of corsairs and pirates in the Caribbean Sea, also left their imprint in the city, whose streets are curved in all corners so that dwellers could counter possible attacks, according to experts.
Fortresses such as those of San Pedro and Boca de Guaurabo were built to defend the centuries-old village, which has become a unique attraction for culture and history lovers visiting the Island every year.