The story of how Columbus discovered Trinidad, and why he called it that ('Trinity').

Christopher Columbus set out on his third voyage.

Columbus had intentionally travelled further south than ever before and had struck the island of Trinidad in 1498. He gave the island the name Trinidad, partly because of a promise he had made to God on Trinity Sunday, but also because a sailor first gave the cry of land when he saw the summits of three mountains. As the ships approached the island it was seen that these three mountains were united at the base. Columbus was delighted as he saw this as a good omen and so he called the island Trinidad, which means Trinity.