Plaza Mayor, Trinidad

The colonial houses of Trinidad are typified by red terracotta tiled roofs supported beyond the walls by wooden beams.

In contrast to the houses of the same period in Havana the door tends to open directly onto a living area, rather than having a vestibule or entrance hall.

The church contains an 18th-century wooden statue of Christ, "The Lord of the True Cross" ("El Señor de la Vera Cruz") which is an object of particular reverence in Trinidad.

Also housed within the building is a large Gothic revival altar dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy (Nuestra Señora de la Piedad).

To the right of the church is a flight of steps leading to the Casa de la Musica (House of Music), a modern building constructed in a style similar to those nearby.

The 25 centavo (25-cent) convertible peso coin shows the bell tower of the church viewed from the corner of the Plaza Mayor on the obverse.

Below the Church of Saint Francis is Plazuela del Jigüe, a small square where Bartolomé de Las Casas celebrated the first Mass in Trinidad in 1514.

Guamuhaya is the name for the local area in one of the languages of the indigenous Cubans, and the museum features Pre-Columbianb finds as well as articles from the time of the Spanish conquest.

Although who the original owner was is not clear, the building was purchased in the 19th century by Antonio Padrón, who added a portico facing the square and extended the roof.

The two houses, joined in the 19th century, show the typical grilled and shuttered windows, and feature an elegant portico with slim columns and a delicate wrought-iron balustrade, in contrast to the heavier pillars and ironwork of the Museum of Guamuhaya Archaeology on the other side of the square.

Original frescoes survive on the plasterwork of the main hall, and a tower accessible from the courtyard gives views over the Plaza Mayor, the city of Trinidad, and the sea.

In 1842 Justo German Cantero y Owar-Anderson, a local doctor, married Pedro Iznaga's widow, Maria Monserrate, and it was the home of the Cantero/Fernandez de Lara family until the late 19th century.

The Plaza Mayor. Above the square, Church of the Holy Trinity; to right of church, Brunet Palace. In distance on hill, Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de la Popa .
The barrotes of the 18th century ( left ), were replaced in the 19th century by grilles decorated with ornamental motifs ( right )
The 25 centavo convertible peso piece features a view of the bell tower of the Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco.
The Casa de Aldemán Ortiz shows many typical features of the Colonial houses of Trinidad.