Named for its burgundy paintwork, this imposing Renaissance-style parliament was constructed in 1906, having been rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire in the 1903 Water Riots. It's currently in the last stages of a complete restoration, which saw the building shrouded under a metal roof for several years; the works were stalled following the discovery of ancient Amerindian skeletons in the foundations. It's slated to reopen in early 2020, but whether this will happen on time is anyone's guess.

During restoration of the Red House, the Trinidad and Tobago parliament has shifted to the International Waterfront Centre on Wrightson Rd. Once the building is reopened and parliament returns, the eternal flame that once burned outside its main entrance, commemorating lives lost in the Islamist coup of 1990, will be reinstated.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Port of Spain attractions

1. Woodford Square

0.08 MILES

This grassy square with its central Eros and Aphrodite fountain and ornate bandstand is the symbolic center of downtown Port of Spain. Dr Eric Williams,…

2. Hall of Justice

0.1 MILES

All pointy balconies and angular turrets, this 1980s concrete building houses Trinidad and Tobago's main criminal court.

3. Holy Trinity Cathedral

0.11 MILES

The majestic, Gothic-designed Holy Trinity Cathedral, at the south side of Woodford Sq, dates from 1818, but sustained major earthquake damage in…

4. City Hall

0.14 MILES

Painted a fetching shade of burnt umber, this block-like concrete construction from 1961 is the HQ of Port of Spain's mayor and the local governing body,…

5. Central Bank Money Museum

0.27 MILES

Newly refurbished and with ferocious air-con that provides a welcome break from the downtown heat, the Money Museum is a surprisingly absorbing affair,…

6. Independence Square

0.29 MILES

The hustle and bustle of downtown culminates along Independence Sq, two parallel streets that flank the central Brian Lara Promenade, named for Trinidad's…

7. Waterfront Park

0.35 MILES

Nudging the Gulf of Paria opposite the western end of Independence Sq, and linked to it by a new raised pedestrian walkway over Wrightson Rd, the paved…

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