Page 194 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

192  CUBA REGION B Y REGION

The Houses of Trinidad

The historic centre of Trinidad has an extraordinarily dense concentration of Spanish
colonial houses, many still inhabited by the descendants of old local families. The oldest
single-storey buildings have two corridors and a porch parallel to the street, with
a courtyard at the back. In the late 1700s another corridor was introduced to the layout.
In the 19th century, the houses formed a square around an open central courtyard.
In general, the houses of Trinidad, unlike those in Havana, have no vestibule or portico.
The entrance consists of a large living room that gives way to a dining room, either
through an archway or a mampara – a stylized, half-height double door.

Barrotes, small turned Wooden beams support the
wooden columns Red tile roof two- or four-pitch sloping
characterize the roof, which is covered with
18th-century terracotta tiles. Inside, mudéjar-
windows. Wooden style coffered ceilings can
supports often be found.

Trinidad Façades
The façade of the typical
Trinidad house has a large
central door, with a smaller
door (or doors) cut in it for
easy access. The windows,
set slightly above ground
level, are almost the height
of the door. They have strong
wooden shutters instead of
glass. This house is in Plaza
Mayor, next to the Casa Ortiz.

The arched windows
so characteristic of
Wrought-iron Trinidad have radiating
ornamental motifs
wooden slats instead
of mediopunto
windows. These allow
the air to enter but
keep out the sunlight.
Wooden shutters

The wooden front door
The 19th-century is sometimes framed by
iron grilles replaced plaster motifs: flattened
the wooden barrotes pilasters, moulding, half-
and typically have columns either with simple
simple decoration at Tuscan capitals or with
the top and bottom. upturned bowls at the top.
Ornate façade of a colonial house in Trinidad’s historic centre

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