Barbados is rich in heritage, culture and history, therefore it is no great surprise to learn that they are monuments and statues all over the island to remember and commemorate great Barbadians and even some to non nationals who have played a part in the development of Barbados.
We at Totally Barbados have listed some of the most famous landmarks. But our list is not conclusive, so please let us know if you spot any that we haven’t mentioned!
Heroes Square – Bridgetown
This is located in front of the parliament buildings and was known as Trafalgar Square until 1999. It is home to a large bronze statue of Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson, which was erected in 1813, and was actually there before the one in London! However as this statue does not commemorate a Barbadian, it was moved from prime position to the edge of the gardens in 1990.
Here you will also find the Cenotaph, which commemorates Barbadians who lost their lives in both World Wars.
And finally in the square you will find the Dolphin Fountain, which commemorates piped water into Bridgetown in 1861. However the fountain’s water supply is never turned on to show appreciation for the limited water resources on the island.
Other Monuments
At the government buildings that overlook Carlisle Bay, you will find a bronze statue of Sir Grantley Adams, the first premier of Barbados.
At the NIS Building, just off Collymore Rock you will find a bronze statue to Sir Frank Walcott.
In Rock Hall you will find a monument that represents freedom; it commemorates a family of freed slaves and the village of Rock Hall, which was the first free village in Barbados.
The most famous of emancipation statues is that of Bussa, a huge bronze statue that shows a slave with broken chains, it is located on Highway 1 on the Emancipation roundabout. Bussa is rumoured to have led the slave revolt which led to emancipation.
There is a bronze statue of Sir Garfield Sobers, a great honour to this cricketing legend as he gets to drive past it every day and know how proud his fellow countrymen are of his sporting achievements. It is located on Highway 1, at the Sir Garfield Sobers roundabout.
On the west coast road you will see Needlepoint, a monument erected to honour those who lost their lives in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban civilian airliner as it took off from Barbados, killing all 73 people aboard. The monument was unveiled during the 1998 visit of Cuban President Fidel Castro to Barbados.
At Gun Hill Signal Station, you will find a 10ft high Lion, which was carved by Captain Henry Wilkinson an officer at Gun Hill Signal Station in 1868 from one single rock.
In Holetown, you will find two monuments – one marks the 1625 landing of the first settlers in Barbados, who were the English crew of the Olive Blossom, the other is to commemorate those who lost their lives in both the World Wars.
There are also two new statues to be made in bronze to honour the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, who led Barbados to its independence and another one for the Right Excellent Samuel Jackman Prescod, who led Barbados to the democracy that is today. Sites for these monuments have yet to be announced.
Author: Brett Callaghan
