Trinidad

Introducing Trinidad

Trinidad’s the place you’ll come to if you’re after a trip down the long and deep Río Mamoré, or on your way between Santa Cruz and Rurrenabaque. The town’s massive, green, tropical main square (Trinidad is only 14 degrees south of the equator) greets you with a freshness that, unfortunately, doesn’t extend to the rest of the town. The streets of Beni’s growing tropical capital are dusty, pot-holed and lined with open sewage canals, which will make your appetite shrivel significantly.

The city of La Santísima Trinidad (the Most Holy Trinity) was founded in 1686 by Padre Cipriano Barace as the second Jesuit mission in the flatlands of the southern Beni. It was originally constructed on the banks of the Río Mamoré 14km from its present location, but floods and pestilence along the riverbanks necessitated relocation. In 1769 it was moved to the Arroyo de San Juan, which now divides the city in two.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009