A Short Walking Tour of
Downtown Port of Spain By Paul Hadden
(Guided Tour by John Gonsalves)
The Lighthouse
We begin our tour standing on the corner of Broadway and South Quay facing the Lighthouse, one of Port of Spain’s most iconic landmarks. Now used by most Trinidadians as the unofficial marker to the city’s entrance, the lighthouse was originally erected around 1842 to safely guide incoming ships from the Gulf of Paria into the city’s harbour. This historic lighthouse was once connected to the city by a long wooden jetty which stretched from what is now the Brian Lara Promenade. If you look to the right, you will see the Museum of the City of Port of Spain, which now stands at the site of the last surviving fort from the period of the Spanish occupation of Trinidad, Fort St. Andres. The fort was originally built to defend the harbour against naval attacks and stood as the only line of defense for Port of Spain. Take a closer look, and you will see several of the fort’s original cannons. To the left of the lighthouse is the grand Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) building also known as City Gate. Designed by German architect David Hanh and originally completed in 1924, the building’s neoclassical design was meant to reflect the strength and order of the colonial government of the day. The initials TGR, Trinidad Government Railway, can still be seen above the entrance. It was at this site that the country’s once thriving railway ran until it closed its doors in December of 1968.
The Brian Lara Promenade
Now, let’s turn and walk north toward the Brian Lara Promenade. Now known as Broadway, this stretch was once called Almond Walk, a wide avenue with two rows of shady almond trees planted in the middle where many residents of the developing city would enjoy taking leisurely strolls.
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The Lighthouse Brian Lara Statue on the Brian Lara Promenade All Photos: Richard Lyder
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