The bell tower
Seen from the plain.
Grueslayer — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marco Farouk Basir — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Albert Sydney — CC BY-SA 3.0 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Mount St Benedict Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on a mountainside above the town of St Augustine in northern Trinidad, also known as the Abbey of Our Lady of Exile. White buildings with red roofs and a bell tower stand about 210 m above sea level, visible from the plain below against the green forest. The abbey was founded in 1912 on about 97 ha of land bought by the Benedictine monk Dom Mayeul de Caigny together with Andrew Gomez. The first three monks arrived in Trinidad on 6 October 1912 to set it up. The order's motto is Pray and Work. The road climbs to the abbey in sharp bends, and at the top is a square before the church, the bell tower and the monks' yellow and white buildings. The square has a wide view over the plain and towns below. This is a working monastery, so dress modestly, keep your voice low and respect prayer times. The abbey is 13 km in a straight line east of Port of Spain. Entry is free. The road is narrow and steep, so drive with care.
Seen from the plain.
The plain and towns below.
White walls, red roofs.
Mount St Benedict Road, above St Augustine, Trinidad
Yes: modest dress covering shoulders and knees.
It is narrow and steep; drive with care.