Mount St Benedict Monastery

The church tower sitting on the Northern Range Hills above Tunapuna is one of the most striking landmarks east of Port of Spain.

This Benedictine Monastic community is the largest and oldest in the Caribbean. It was established in 1912 by monks fleeing Brazil's attempt to take over their land. Founded on the principles of self sufficiency and hospitality to strangers, the monastery complex encompasses, not only religious buildings, but also a farm, an apiary, a home for the aged, a drug rehabilitation center, a vocational school and a guest house.

It also owns about 600 acres, much of it rain forest, which still supplies water and materials for the site. The community grew in size during WWII when wealthy Caribbean and Latin American families, no longer able to send their children to Europe for schooling, enrolled them at Mount St Benedict. The prestige of the school lasted until the 1970s when troubles on the island caused powerful families to send their children elsewhere. The school never recovered and closed shortly afterward.

The church building attracts worshippers from all over the island and is large but simple in construction. One of the original adobe buildings still stands behind the church, but is deteriorating quickly.

The monastery is famous for its yogurt and also makes jams and jellies from its fruits.