History

Bridgetown is the capital of Barbados and is rich in culture and history. You can visit many historical places with souvenirs and duty-free shops nearby. It is one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean region, having been continuously occupied since 1628.

Bridgetown was founded by a small group of English settlers who named it Indian River Bridge because of the bridge that goes over the Constitution River built by the very first inhabitants, believed to be the Amerindians.

Bridgetown was not ideal for the country’s capital city as it was a very unhealthy place back then. It sat on a mosquito-infested swamp, and over 20,000 people died from cholera in 1654.

But it looks out over the beautiful Carlisle Bay, and its geography was perfect at the time to develop the port, which became one of the main ports in the world during its heyday of the 17th century, along with Boston and London.

The port has continued to grow over the years and is one of the largest in the Caribbean to berth some of the supercruise liners now in operation.

The wealth from the sugar and trade slaves made Bridgetown, as it was later renamed, a very grand city with excellent architecture displayed on colonial homes and warehouses.

However, not much of this grand city still stands after a fire in 1659, which destroyed over 200 houses in the city center. Only eight years later, in 1667, a hurricane hit Barbados, killing even more of the city. There was a great fire in 1668, which burned down a further 800 buildings.

Bridgetown was plagued by fire and was destroyed by a further 12 great fires from 1673 until the last recorded blaze in 1910.

Despite all of these disasters, Bridgetown still has a lot of historic buildings, and there are some monuments and statues to commemorate essential events in Bridgetown’s history.

Guided Tour

As you enter Bridgetown from the south coast, you will see a vast expanse of open parade ground with a horse racing track outside. This area is called the Garrison Savannah and is now home to the Barbados Turf Club.

The Garrison Savannah was where the British Army was based in the 1600s and is still home today for the Barbados Defense Force. Around the Garrison area, you will find grand military buildings and two other major tourist attractions. These are the Barbados Museum, with seven galleries to look around, and Bush Hill House, now known as George Washington House, after his stay there in 1751.

The Careenage is a major focal point in Bridgetown and is home to charter fishing boats, catamarans, and yachts to rent. The Limelight Café and the Waterfront Café, both with live bands and entertainment, overlook this tranquil scene.

Opposite The Careenage, you will find the start of Broad Street, home to many of the major department stores and gift shops that offer duty-free shopping; here, you will also see places to eat and drink.

Many corporate Barbados have head offices within the city center, so tourists wander the streets in shorts alongside office workers in suits.

At this end of Broad Street, you will also find National Heroes Square, which has its own Nelson’s Column erected in 1813, before its famous counterpart in London.

In 2007, the square underwent a significant overhaul, so it now offers a great place to relax and watch the world go by on a lazy sunny afternoon.

There is a cenotaph to remember the dead from both world wars, the Dolphin Fountain to commemorate piped water into Bridgetown, and a statue of Errol Barrow – a national hero of Barbados and previous Prime Minister.

Also in Bridgetown are the Barbadian Parliament Buildings, located next to the Chamberlain Bridge, built in 1874 and home to the Barbados Parliament, which was formed in 1639, making it the third oldest in the Commonwealth.

Within a short walk, you can also find two historic buildings of religious significance in Barbados, St. Michael’s Cathedral and the Jewish Synagogue.

Close to St. Michael’s Cathedral is Queens Park, where you will find Queens Park House, a beautiful Georgian mansion built in 1783 which now has an art gallery for you to look around,

If you walk to the top of Broad Street and onto Fontabelle, you will find Kensington Oval, a very famous cricket ground in operation since 1882 and host to the final game of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.

If you continue up to Harbour Road, you will come to the Pelican Craft Centre, a complex of design and working studios of local artisans selling original and authentic goods. The shops here are very unusual and make an ideal stop for presents.

Just outside of Bridgetown is Tyrol Cot, the family home of Sir Grantley Adams, the first prime minister of Barbados. The house was built in 1854 and exhibited memorabilia from his political career and that of his son, Tom Adams, who followed in his father’s footsteps to become a Barbadian prime minister.

Finally, you wouldn’t be in Barbados, let alone the capital city, if there had been no mention of the country’s national drink, rum.

While wandering around the city center, try to head out on the Spring Garden Highway for a tour of the Mount Gay rum factory. Here, you will learn the history of rum and how it is made.