Bridgetown
Encyclopedia
The city of Bridgetown metropolitan pop 96,578 (2006), is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados
. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish
of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The City", but the most common reference is simply "Town".
The Bridgetown port, found along Carlisle Bay
(at 13.106°N 59.632°W) lies on the southwestern coast of the island. Parts of the Greater Bridgetown area (as largely encircled by the ABC Highway), sit close to the borders of the neighbouring parishes Christ Church and St. James. The Grantley Adams International Airport
for Barbados, is located 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) southeast of Bridgetown city centre, and has daily flights to major cities in the United Kingdom
, United States
, Canada
and the Caribbean
. While there is no longer local municipal government, it is governed as a political constituency within the national Parliament
.
The present day location of the city was established by English
settlers in 1628 following a prior settlement at St. James Town
. Bridgetown is a major West Indies
tourist destination, and the city acts as an important financial, informatics, convention centre, and cruise ship
port of call
in the Caribbean region. On 25 June 2011, Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison were added as a World Heritage Site
of UNESCO
.
known as the Arawak. Upon finding the structure the British settlers began to call what is now the Bridgetown area Indian Bridge. It is widely believed that the Arawaks were driven from Barbados to the neighbouring island of Saint Lucia
, during an invasion by another people indigenous to the region known as the Caribs. Eventually after 1654 when a new bridge was constructed over the Careenage by the British, the area became known as The Town of Saint Michael and later as Bridgetown, and the final name stuck.
Bridgetown is the only city outside continental North America that George Washington
visited. (George Washington House
, the actual house where he stayed, is now part of the Garrison Historic Area
.) In 2011, historic buildings in Bridgetown were made a protected area of UNESCO.
. Wolverstone, had been dispatched by a group of London
Merchants, headed by Sir Marmaduke Rawdon. The group had been granted a lease to 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of land area by the Earl of Carlisle in settlement of debts. Each of the settlers with Wolverstone were granted by him 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land, lying on the northern side of the Careenage waterway for the purpose of general settlement. The southern shore on Needham's Point, were claimed by Carlisle's agents that coming October, and in 1631, many acres of land directly facing Carlisle Bay were passed to Henry Hawley
, the new Governor. Reports of dishonest behaviour about this Governor led to his arrest and rendition
to England
in 1639. After investigation by Commission in 1640, it was found that much of Hawley's land transactions were legitimate and properly showed these lands (including the town site), as being attributed to the Earl of Carlisle.
'. Due to this the Saint Michael's Parish Church became raised to the status of Cathedral, in so doing the elevation meant that thereafter Bridgetown would be conferred with city status. In 1842 Royal Letters Patent under which Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia were split into separate diocese decreed that henceforth the Town of Bridgetown should be called the City of Bridgetown.
In December 1925 a committee sought to petition the King for a Royal Charter of Incorporation to devise local government in the city. The plan stated the desire for Bridgetown to be run by a Mayor, 8 Aldermen, 12 Common councillors, a Town Clerk, a Head-borough or Chef Constable, and such other officers as would be deemed necessary.
It was proposed that the island's House of Assembly
should seek to Incorporate the city instead of utilising Royal Charter
.
It was not until 1958 when the Local Government Act was passed in Barbados. Within the act called for separate administration for the city. The act called for a Mayor, 6 City aldermen, and 12 City Councillors—of which 4 serve each of the 3 Wards in the City.
On 20 September 1960 a grant of Arms was conferred upon the City by the Royal College of Arms in London
. The Armorial bearings for the City of Bridgetown were designed by the late Neville Connell, the then director of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society along with H.W. Ince the Honorary Secretary of the Society.
Local government
in Barbados was established but not for long. In April 1967 the system of Local Government Councils was dissolved and replaced by an Interim Commissioner for Local Government. The Corporation of Bridgetown thus ceased to exist, and its records and paraphernalia were deposited in both the Government Department of Archives and Barbados Museum and Historical Society. Today Bridgetown and surrounding constituencies are administered by members of Barbadian parliament.
, which was quickly drained and filled-in to make way for the city's early development.
At the heart of Bridgetown is the Careenage and Constitution River
. This body of water provides the city with direct access from medium sized yacht
s or small craft
boat
s. Although moderately shallow, the Careenage slices Bridgetown into two parts. During the rainy season the Constitution River flows into the Careenage area and acts as an outflow for water from the islands interior storm drain
age network. Flowing into the Carlisle Bay on the southwest coast of the island, the Careenage can be observed as a marina
for boaters entering or exiting the inner basin located directly in front of the Parliament buildings of Barbados.
and dry
seasons, with a relatively lengthy wet season and a shorter dry season. Its wet season is from June through January, while the dry season covers the remaining months.
colonies of the Windward Islands
. During this period the resident Governor of Barbados also served as the Colonial head of the Windward Islands
. After the Government of Barbados officially exited from the Windward Island union in 1885, the seat was moved from Bridgetown to St. George's
on the neighbouring island of Grenada
.
In the centre lies the main street of Bridgetown which is Broad Street which runs directly through the centre of the city. Broad Street passes the Parliament Buildings and serves as the centre of city's shopping area.
Another major traffic artery into the city is Bay Street (which turns into Highway 7) and leads toward the South Coast of Barbados and the Parish of Christ Church. There are also other notable streets in Bridgetown, including:
-and-
Minibuses from the center also pass nearby, but only leave from the northern (market) bus terminal, thus a cab might make more sense.
.
The Harbour port acts as one of the major shipping and transhipment hubs from international locations for the entire Eastern Caribbean. Recently the Bridgetown Port was dredged to allow safe access and berthing for the new league of "super cruise ships". The dredging project was completed in 2002 and the city can now host many of the largest cruise ships in the world.
The port of Bridgetown also handles goods for the domestic needs of the island. The island's main exports of mainly agricultural products also make use of the harbour facilities.
Bridgetown also has a smaller canal in the centre of the city, named the Careenage, a.k.a. "Constitution River". The Constitution River should not be confused with the Deep Water Harbour. The smaller Constitution River feeding into the west coast lies about a half kilometer south of the large harbour. The Careenage is just large enough for pleasure craft or fishing boats and has two main bridges near the city center which span the shallow Careenage.
Bridgetown serves as a principal centre of commercial activity in Barbados, as well as a central hub for the island's public transport system. Many of the ministries and departments
of the island's government are located within the Greater Bridgetown area. The Public Buildings or parliament
, which stand at the heart of the city directly north of Heroes Square, house the third oldest continuous parliament in the British Commonwealth
. Indeed, at one point in the city's early history, Bridgetown was the most important city of all British possessions in the New World due to the city's easterly location in the Caribbean region.
For a city of its size, the Greater Bridgetown area is home to several prestigious educational institutions. The city serves as the seat of one of the three campuses of the University of the West Indies
in the northern suburb of Cave Hill
. The campus sits on a bluff offering a spectacular view of Bridgetown and its port. The Barbados Community College is located three miles (5 km) east of the Central Business District in a suburb known as "The Ivy", while the sprawling campus of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic is located just beyond the eastern limits of the city in a suburb known as "The Pine". In addition, the city houses such distinguished secondary schools as Harrison College
, Combermere and The St. Michael School.
The City of Bridgetown also played host to the 1994 United Nations Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Islands States. Bridgetown has branches of some of the largest banks in the world and English-speaking Caribbean and is internationally recognised as an emerging financial domicile. The city is currently experiencing a phenomenal spurt of redevelopment in preparation for the 2007 World Cricket Cup
Finals to be held at the historic Kensington Oval
. The Oval is being renovated to a state-of-the-art sports facility that will accommodate 30,000 spectators. Live viewership for the 2007 event is estimated to be in the region of two billion people.
.
, rum
, and molasses
. The island is also involved in other industries namely tourism and the offshore sector.
The airline REDjet has its head office at Grantley Adams International Airport
in Christ Church, near Bridgetown.
The City of Bridgetown also has a well regulated stock exchange with securities of Barbadian and regional Caribbean companies.
Hours: Monday to Thursday, and 8am–5pm on Fridays.
The main banks are:
Automatic Teller Machines are available.
Shops are open:
Payment cards are widely accepted.
Electricity: 115 volts AC, 50 cycles.
Most hotels have 220 AC.
Telecommunications: the international dialing code for Barbados is 1-246 followed by seven digits.
On the island, use the seven digits alone.
When on the island, to call anywhere in the United States or Canada simply dial 1+ (area code) + seven digit phone number.
Emergency Numbers:
Police: 211 (emergency only)
Fire: 311
Ambulance: 511
Coast Guard and Defense Force: (246) 427-8819
Time: GMT-4
located on the ABC Highway
/Highway 7 in Seawell, Christ Church. The city of Bridgetown and New York City in the United States, were the only cities in the western hemisphere
to be served by regularly scheduled British Airways Concorde flights. Additionally, the GAIA has been chosen as one of only four global display sites for the retired supersonic aircraft. The Airport is currently in the final stages of an expansion project, which will also include the construction of an aviation museum to house the retired Concorde
aircraft.
All seven of Barbados's primary Highways begin close to the City of Bridgetown, in the Parish of Saint Michael
. They all fan out to the north, south and east to other parts of the island. Driving is done of the left-hand side of the road with a speed limit of 60 km/h (37.3 mph) in built-up areas. The speed limit on the ABC Highway is generally 80 km/h (50 mph) except in built-up areas. Water transport is regulated by the Barbados Port Authority
.
, and to some locations in St. Michael including the University of the West Indies
- (Cave Hill Campus), leave from the Princess Alice Bus Terminal which lies to the west of the city centre. Buses for points east and south leave from the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal, which is on the eastern edge of the city centre, near to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
(QEH).
- Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada
(July, 2004 twinning) - Borough of Hackney, London
, England
, UK - Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
(June 28, 2004)
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish
Parishes of Barbados
The country of Barbados is currently subdivided into sub-regions known as parishes. According to the Act of the Barbados Parliament they are officially styled as the "Parish of as opposed to the U.S. styled naming convention with the name "Parish" coming after the name...
of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The City", but the most common reference is simply "Town".
The Bridgetown port, found along Carlisle Bay
Carlisle Bay, Barbados
Carlisle Bay is a small natural harbor located in the southwest region of Barbados. The island nation's capital, Bridgetown, is situated on this bay, which has been turned into a marine park. Carlisle Bay's marine park is a popular spot on the island for scuba diving...
(at 13.106°N 59.632°W) lies on the southwestern coast of the island. Parts of the Greater Bridgetown area (as largely encircled by the ABC Highway), sit close to the borders of the neighbouring parishes Christ Church and St. James. The Grantley Adams International Airport
Grantley Adams International Airport
Grantley Adams International Airport , is found in Seawell, Christ Church on the island of Barbados. The former name of the airport was Seawell Airport before being dedicated in honour of the first Premier of Barbados, Sir Grantley Herbert Adams in 1976. The airport's timezone is GMT –4, and is...
for Barbados, is located 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) southeast of Bridgetown city centre, and has daily flights to major cities in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. While there is no longer local municipal government, it is governed as a political constituency within the national Parliament
Parliament of Barbados
The Parliament of Barbados is the national legislature of Barbados. It is accorded legislative supremacy by Chapter V of the Constitution of Barbados. The Parliament is bicameral in composition and is formally made up of: HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados The Parliament of Barbados is the...
.
The present day location of the city was established by English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
settlers in 1628 following a prior settlement at St. James Town
Holetown
Holetown , is a small town located in the Caribbean island nation of Barbados. Holetown is located in the parish of Saint James on the sheltered west coast of the island.-History:...
. Bridgetown is a major West Indies
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
tourist destination, and the city acts as an important financial, informatics, convention centre, and cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
port of call
Port of Bridgetown
The Port of Bridgetown , is a seaport in Bridgetown on the southwest coast of Barbados...
in the Caribbean region. On 25 June 2011, Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison were added as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
History
Although the island was totally abandoned or uninhabited when the British landed there, one of the few traces of indigenous pre-existence on the island was a primitive bridge constructed over the Careenage area's swamp at the centre of Bridgetown. It was suspected that this bridge was created by a people indigenous to the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
known as the Arawak. Upon finding the structure the British settlers began to call what is now the Bridgetown area Indian Bridge. It is widely believed that the Arawaks were driven from Barbados to the neighbouring island of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
, during an invasion by another people indigenous to the region known as the Caribs. Eventually after 1654 when a new bridge was constructed over the Careenage by the British, the area became known as The Town of Saint Michael and later as Bridgetown, and the final name stuck.
Bridgetown is the only city outside continental North America that George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
visited. (George Washington House
George Washington House (Barbados)
George Washington House in Barbados is a historic house where the first U.S. president George Washington visited, in 1751.The Barbados apparently is the only country outside the present United States that George Washington ever visited....
, the actual house where he stayed, is now part of the Garrison Historic Area
Garrison Historic Area
St. Ann's Garrison, or more commonly known as "The Garrison", is a small district located in the country of Barbados. This Garrison Historic Area is situated about 2-miles south of Heroes Square in the capital-city Bridgetown, and just west of the village of Hastings in the neighbouring parish of...
.) In 2011, historic buildings in Bridgetown were made a protected area of UNESCO.
Early settlement
English settlement of Bridgetown began on 5 July 1628 under Charles Wolverstone, who brought with him 64 settlers to these lands formally claimed by James Hay, the Earl of CarlisleJames Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle
James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle was a Scottish aristocrat.-Life:He was the son of Sir James Hay of Fingask , and of Margaret Murray, cousin of George Hay, afterwards 1st Earl of Kinnoull.He was knighted and taken into favor by James VI of Scotland, brought into England in 1603, treated as a "prime...
. Wolverstone, had been dispatched by a group of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Merchants, headed by Sir Marmaduke Rawdon. The group had been granted a lease to 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of land area by the Earl of Carlisle in settlement of debts. Each of the settlers with Wolverstone were granted by him 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land, lying on the northern side of the Careenage waterway for the purpose of general settlement. The southern shore on Needham's Point, were claimed by Carlisle's agents that coming October, and in 1631, many acres of land directly facing Carlisle Bay were passed to Henry Hawley
Henry Hawley
Lieutenant General Henry Hawley was a British Army officer who entered the army in 1694.-Early life:He saw service in the War of Spanish Succession as a captain of Erie's Foot. After Almanza he returned to England, and a few years later had become lieutenant-colonel of the 19th...
, the new Governor. Reports of dishonest behaviour about this Governor led to his arrest and rendition
Rendition (law)
In law, rendition is a "surrender" or "handing over" of persons or property, particularly from one jurisdiction to another. For criminal suspects, extradition is the most common type of rendition. Rendition can also be seen as the act of handing over, after the request for extradition has taken...
to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1639. After investigation by Commission in 1640, it was found that much of Hawley's land transactions were legitimate and properly showed these lands (including the town site), as being attributed to the Earl of Carlisle.
Boundaries
The earliest boundaries of Bridgetown are contained by way of an Act passed on 4 April 1660 called, "to prevent the danger which may happen by fire, in or about any of the seaport towns of the Island". The southern limit was declared to be the River (Careenage), whilst the western limit was declared to be the western boundary of St. Michael's (now St. Mary's) Churchyard, and extending in a direct line to the seaside. The town's other limits consisted of properties of certain citizens names in this statute, the location of which cannot now be determined with certainty. The boundaries were not redefined until 1822.From town to city
In 1824 Barbados became the seat of the Anglican 'Diocese of Barbados and the Leeward IslandsLeeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
'. Due to this the Saint Michael's Parish Church became raised to the status of Cathedral, in so doing the elevation meant that thereafter Bridgetown would be conferred with city status. In 1842 Royal Letters Patent under which Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia were split into separate diocese decreed that henceforth the Town of Bridgetown should be called the City of Bridgetown.
It was proposed that the island's House of Assembly
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
should seek to Incorporate the city instead of utilising Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
.
It was not until 1958 when the Local Government Act was passed in Barbados. Within the act called for separate administration for the city. The act called for a Mayor, 6 City aldermen, and 12 City Councillors—of which 4 serve each of the 3 Wards in the City.
On 20 September 1960 a grant of Arms was conferred upon the City by the Royal College of Arms in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Armorial bearings for the City of Bridgetown were designed by the late Neville Connell, the then director of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society along with H.W. Ince the Honorary Secretary of the Society.
Local government
Districts of Barbados
In 1959 the country of Barbados was changed from the Vestry system, into a more modern system of local government patterned after that of the United Kingdom....
in Barbados was established but not for long. In April 1967 the system of Local Government Councils was dissolved and replaced by an Interim Commissioner for Local Government. The Corporation of Bridgetown thus ceased to exist, and its records and paraphernalia were deposited in both the Government Department of Archives and Barbados Museum and Historical Society. Today Bridgetown and surrounding constituencies are administered by members of Barbadian parliament.
Geography and climate
Geography
The city of Bridgetown, and the wider Greater Bridgetown area occupy most of the parish of Saint Michael, an area which covers around 39 km² (15 sq. mi). Bridgetown's centre was originally composed of a swampSwamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
, which was quickly drained and filled-in to make way for the city's early development.
At the heart of Bridgetown is the Careenage and Constitution River
Constitution River
The Constitution River or commonly called "The Careenage", is a river located along Carlisle Bay, on the south-western portion of Barbados. The western end of the river runs through the centre of Bridgetown in Saint Michael. The river acts as a channel for heavy rain run-off from the higher...
. This body of water provides the city with direct access from medium sized yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s or small craft
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s. Although moderately shallow, the Careenage slices Bridgetown into two parts. During the rainy season the Constitution River flows into the Careenage area and acts as an outflow for water from the islands interior storm drain
Storm drain
A storm drain, storm sewer , stormwater drain or drainage well system or simply a drain or drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems...
age network. Flowing into the Carlisle Bay on the southwest coast of the island, the Careenage can be observed as a marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
for boaters entering or exiting the inner basin located directly in front of the Parliament buildings of Barbados.
Climate
Bridgetown features a tropical wet and dry climate, with relatively constant temperatures throughout the course of the year. While fairly hot, Bridgetown is cooled somewhat by the trade winds that affect weather in Barbados in general. Bridgetown’s record high of 35 °C (95.4 °F) and record low of 16 °C (60.8 °F). Bridgetown features distinct wetWet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
and dry
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
seasons, with a relatively lengthy wet season and a shorter dry season. Its wet season is from June through January, while the dry season covers the remaining months.
Amalgamation of the Governor with the Windward Islands
From 1800 until 1885 Bridgetown served as the main seat of Government for the former BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonies of the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
. During this period the resident Governor of Barbados also served as the Colonial head of the Windward Islands
Colonial heads of the Windward Islands
This is a list of viceroys in the British Windward Islands. The colony of the Windward Islands was created in 1833 and consisted of Grenada, Barbados , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tobago , St. Lucia , and Dominica . The Governor of Barbados was also the Governor of the Windward Islands,...
. After the Government of Barbados officially exited from the Windward Island union in 1885, the seat was moved from Bridgetown to St. George's
St. George's, Grenada
St. George's, population 89,018 , with an agglomeration of 4,500 people , is the capital of Grenada, . The city is surrounded by a hillside of an old volcano crater and is on a horseshoe-shaped harbor....
on the neighbouring island of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
.
Events
Amongst the breathtaking landscapes, and the fresh look of the city; Barbados attracts many investors from various fields. The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup tournament attracted thousands of visitors to the island and was a very prosperous event. The final match was played on Saturday April 28, 2007.The city
Another major traffic artery into the city is Bay Street (which turns into Highway 7) and leads toward the South Coast of Barbados and the Parish of Christ Church. There are also other notable streets in Bridgetown, including:
- Swan Street - which is parallel to Broad Street, to the north.
- Roebuck Street - which leads towards Queens Park to the North, and East of Swan Street.
-and-
- Tudor Street - which comes from the north, intersects Swan Street and runs perpendicular to Broad Street.
- The Spring Garden Highway, which lies to the west of the city, plays host to over 85,000 bystanders and participants in the annual Grand Kadooment Carnival Parade.
Neighbourhoods
- Belleville
- Cat's Castle
- Cheapside
- FontabelleFontabelle, Saint Michael, BarbadosFontabelle is located in the parish of Saint Michael, Barbados. Located just to the North-west of the capital city Bridgetown, Fontabelle is a heavily populated area....
- Garden Land
- New Orleans
- Pinelands
- Strathclyde
- Weymouth
- Whitepark
Landmarks/points of interest
- National Heroes Square (formerly Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square, BarbadosNational Heroes Square is located in the capital and principal commercial centre Bridgetown, on the island-nation of Barbados...
) and Fountain Garden http://www.funbarbados.com/Sights/S_trafalgarsquare.CFM
- Independence Square and The Independence Arch
- The Montefiore Fountain
- Parliament Buildings of Barbados
- The Cathedral Church of Saint Michael and All AngelsCathedral Church of Saint Michael and All AngelsThe Cathedral Church of Saint Michael and All Angels is an Anglican church located on St. Michael's Row, two blocks east of National Heroes Square; at the centre of Bridgetown, Barbados...
- The St. Mary's Anglican Church
- The St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral
- The Jewish Synagogue
- The Pelican Village and Craft Centre
- Queen's Park
- The Lord Nelson Statue
- The Barbados Museum
- Kensington OvalKensington OvalThe Kensington Oval is located to the west of the capital-city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. "The Oval" is one of the major sporting facilities on the island and is primarily used for cricket...
(site of the 2007 Cricket World Cup2007 Cricket World CupThe 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
final) - Carlisle Bay Beach
- Cheapside market
- The Tom Adams Financial Complex
- The Frank Collymore Hall of the Performing Arts
- The Cathedral Plaza
- The Cave Shepherd Department Store (No.10 Broad Street)
- The Mutual Building (lower Broad Street)
- The Cheapside Gardens
- Sagicor Plaza
- The Garrison Savannah and National Historic AreaGarrison Historic AreaSt. Ann's Garrison, or more commonly known as "The Garrison", is a small district located in the country of Barbados. This Garrison Historic Area is situated about 2-miles south of Heroes Square in the capital-city Bridgetown, and just west of the village of Hastings in the neighbouring parish of...
- The Hilton Hotel
- Martineau House
Attractions
- Pierhead Development Complex
Minibuses from the center also pass nearby, but only leave from the northern (market) bus terminal, thus a cab might make more sense.
Harbour
The Bridgetown Port (or "Deep Water Harbour" as its also known) is the major port of entry for cruise and cargo ships docking in Barbados. The Deep Water Harbour lies a short distance across Carlisle Bay northwest of the Careenage Canal. Found along the Princess Alice Highway, and west of the city's centre around FontabelleFontabelle, Saint Michael, Barbados
Fontabelle is located in the parish of Saint Michael, Barbados. Located just to the North-west of the capital city Bridgetown, Fontabelle is a heavily populated area....
.
The Harbour port acts as one of the major shipping and transhipment hubs from international locations for the entire Eastern Caribbean. Recently the Bridgetown Port was dredged to allow safe access and berthing for the new league of "super cruise ships". The dredging project was completed in 2002 and the city can now host many of the largest cruise ships in the world.
The port of Bridgetown also handles goods for the domestic needs of the island. The island's main exports of mainly agricultural products also make use of the harbour facilities.
Bridgetown also has a smaller canal in the centre of the city, named the Careenage, a.k.a. "Constitution River". The Constitution River should not be confused with the Deep Water Harbour. The smaller Constitution River feeding into the west coast lies about a half kilometer south of the large harbour. The Careenage is just large enough for pleasure craft or fishing boats and has two main bridges near the city center which span the shallow Careenage.
Society and culture
Ministries and Agencies of the Barbados Government
The Government of Barbados contains a number of Ministries and Agencies which control and govern various aspects of the country, these are known in Barbados as Government Ministries.-Current Structure of Government ministries:*Prime Minister...
of the island's government are located within the Greater Bridgetown area. The Public Buildings or parliament
Parliament of Barbados
The Parliament of Barbados is the national legislature of Barbados. It is accorded legislative supremacy by Chapter V of the Constitution of Barbados. The Parliament is bicameral in composition and is formally made up of: HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados The Parliament of Barbados is the...
, which stand at the heart of the city directly north of Heroes Square, house the third oldest continuous parliament in the British Commonwealth
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. Indeed, at one point in the city's early history, Bridgetown was the most important city of all British possessions in the New World due to the city's easterly location in the Caribbean region.
For a city of its size, the Greater Bridgetown area is home to several prestigious educational institutions. The city serves as the seat of one of the three campuses of the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
in the northern suburb of Cave Hill
Cave Hill, Saint Michael, Barbados
Cave Hill, St. Michael is a suburban area situated in the parish of St. Michael. It is located about 4 km north-west of the capital-city Bridgetown along the west coast of Barbados....
. The campus sits on a bluff offering a spectacular view of Bridgetown and its port. The Barbados Community College is located three miles (5 km) east of the Central Business District in a suburb known as "The Ivy", while the sprawling campus of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic is located just beyond the eastern limits of the city in a suburb known as "The Pine". In addition, the city houses such distinguished secondary schools as Harrison College
Harrison College (Barbados)
Harrison College is a co-educational grammar school in Bridgetown, Barbados. Founded in 1733, the school takes its name from Thomas Harrison, a Bridgetown merchant, who intended it to serve as "A Public and Free School for the poor and indigent boys of the parish".It thereafter has evolved into...
, Combermere and The St. Michael School.
The City of Bridgetown also played host to the 1994 United Nations Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Islands States. Bridgetown has branches of some of the largest banks in the world and English-speaking Caribbean and is internationally recognised as an emerging financial domicile. The city is currently experiencing a phenomenal spurt of redevelopment in preparation for the 2007 World Cricket Cup
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
Finals to be held at the historic Kensington Oval
Kensington Oval
The Kensington Oval is located to the west of the capital-city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. "The Oval" is one of the major sporting facilities on the island and is primarily used for cricket...
. The Oval is being renovated to a state-of-the-art sports facility that will accommodate 30,000 spectators. Live viewership for the 2007 event is estimated to be in the region of two billion people.
Utilities and local services
Today Bridgetown is a fully modern and thriving city, with access to many modern services including a piped water supply (said to be naturally among the purest in the world), electricity, natural gas supply, cutting-edge telecommunications, wireless services, internet cafes, and a good overall infrastructure. The city is also served by an impressive conference facility known as the Sherbourne Conference CentreSherbourne Conference Centre
The Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference And Cultural Centre , is a conference centre facility found on the Caribbean island of Barbados...
.
- Electricity - Barbados Light and Power CompanyBarbados Light and Power CompanyThe Barbados Light & Power Company Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Light & Power Holdings and currently the sole electricity utility provider in the country of Barbados...
Ltd. (BL&P) - Natural Gas - National Petroleum Corporation
- Water - Barbados Water AuthorityBarbados Water AuthorityBarbados Water Authority Limited , a government statutory corporation, is the sole provider of water services. Water supplied by the BWA in Barbados is pumped from wells within natural coral aquifers. The geology of Barbados is mostly composed of karst limestone which acts as a filter medium...
(BWA)
- Telecommunications - LIMELIME (Cable & Wireless)LIME, an acronym for 'Landline, Internet, Mobile, Entertainment', is a communications provider owned by the British based Cable & Wireless Communications plc operating in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts...
(Incumbent), Cariaccess Communications, DigicelDigicelDigicel is a mobile phone network provider covering parts of Oceania, Central America, and the Caribbean regions. The company is owned by Irishman Denis O'Brien, is incorporated in Bermuda, and based in Jamaica. It provides mobile services in 26 countries and territories throughout the Caribbean...
, FreeMotion, SunbeachSunbeachSunbeach Communications Inc. is the leading Internet Service Provider, Internet webhosting provider and mobile/wireless phone company located in Barbados. Since the mid-1990s Sunbeach has been one of the chief competitors to the incumbent telecommunications company Cable and Wireless in providing...
, TeleBarbadosTeleBarbadosTeleBarbados Inc. is a recent start-up telecommunications company in the country of Barbados.Started as one of the first competitors in the new liberalised telecommunications market of Barbados, TeleBarbados is reforming itself to be a major competitor of the long time monopolistic incumbent...
, WIISCOM - Television - CBC TV 8, Multi-Choice TV (Barbados)Multi-Choice TV (Barbados)The television service provider known as Multi-Choice TV or MCTV is a MMDS or DVB-C wireless microwave based broadcast subscription television provider in the country of Barbados. They offer a variety of packages which can be considered as comparatively priced to similar providers throughout the...
, DirecTVDirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ... - Radio - List of radio stations in Barbados
- Barbadian media
Economy
Barbados' main exports are SugarSugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
, and molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
. The island is also involved in other industries namely tourism and the offshore sector.
The airline REDjet has its head office at Grantley Adams International Airport
Grantley Adams International Airport
Grantley Adams International Airport , is found in Seawell, Christ Church on the island of Barbados. The former name of the airport was Seawell Airport before being dedicated in honour of the first Premier of Barbados, Sir Grantley Herbert Adams in 1976. The airport's timezone is GMT –4, and is...
in Christ Church, near Bridgetown.
Stock exchange
- Barbados Stock ExchangeBarbados Stock ExchangeThe Barbados Stock Exchange or BSE is Barbados' main stock exchange. Its headquarters are in the capital-city Bridgetown.The Barbados Stock Exchange is among the four major regional Caribbean stock exchanges. The other three being the exchanges of Jamaica, the Eastern Caribbean, and Trinidad and...
(BSE)
The City of Bridgetown also has a well regulated stock exchange with securities of Barbadian and regional Caribbean companies.
Business/specifics
Business: Banks are open 8am–3pm,Hours: Monday to Thursday, and 8am–5pm on Fridays.
The main banks are:
- Barclays Bank (see FirstCaribbean International BankFirstCaribbean International BankCIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank , is a publicly held Caribbean financial services company based in Barbados. Formed in 2002 as a merge the Caribbean operations of Barclays Bank PLC and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce , in March 2006 both CIBC and Barclays announced that Barclays wished...
), - Bank of Nova Scotia,
- Barbados National Bank,
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) (see FirstCaribbean International BankFirstCaribbean International BankCIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank , is a publicly held Caribbean financial services company based in Barbados. Formed in 2002 as a merge the Caribbean operations of Barclays Bank PLC and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce , in March 2006 both CIBC and Barclays announced that Barclays wished...
), - RBTT Bank and
- Royal Bank of CanadaRoyal Bank of CanadaThe Royal Bank of Canada or RBC Financial Group is the largest financial institution in Canada, as measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalization. The bank serves seventeen million clients and has 80,100 employees worldwide. The company corporate headquarters are located in Toronto,...
(RBC)
Automatic Teller Machines are available.
Shops are open:
- 8am–6pm weekdays and
- 8am–noon Saturdays.
Payment cards are widely accepted.
Electricity: 115 volts AC, 50 cycles.
Most hotels have 220 AC.
Telecommunications: the international dialing code for Barbados is 1-246 followed by seven digits.
On the island, use the seven digits alone.
When on the island, to call anywhere in the United States or Canada simply dial 1+ (area code) + seven digit phone number.
Emergency Numbers:
Police: 211 (emergency only)
Fire: 311
Ambulance: 511
Coast Guard and Defense Force: (246) 427-8819
Time: GMT-4
Transportation
The city has access to daily flights via the island's Airport the Sir Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA)Grantley Adams International Airport
Grantley Adams International Airport , is found in Seawell, Christ Church on the island of Barbados. The former name of the airport was Seawell Airport before being dedicated in honour of the first Premier of Barbados, Sir Grantley Herbert Adams in 1976. The airport's timezone is GMT –4, and is...
located on the ABC Highway
ABC Highway, Barbados
The ABC Highway is the main urban highway in Barbados. Opened in 1989, it is named after three famous Barbadian politicians: John Michael Geoffrey Manningham Adams, Errol Barrow, and Hugh Gordon Cummins...
/Highway 7 in Seawell, Christ Church. The city of Bridgetown and New York City in the United States, were the only cities in the western hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
to be served by regularly scheduled British Airways Concorde flights. Additionally, the GAIA has been chosen as one of only four global display sites for the retired supersonic aircraft. The Airport is currently in the final stages of an expansion project, which will also include the construction of an aviation museum to house the retired Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
aircraft.
All seven of Barbados's primary Highways begin close to the City of Bridgetown, in the Parish of Saint Michael
Saint Michael Parish, Barbados
StatisticsParish:Saint MichaelArea:Largest city:BridgetownPopulation :94,860 inhab.Population density:2,432.31 inhab/km²Parliamentary representation- House seats11MapParishes of Barbados...
. They all fan out to the north, south and east to other parts of the island. Driving is done of the left-hand side of the road with a speed limit of 60 km/h (37.3 mph) in built-up areas. The speed limit on the ABC Highway is generally 80 km/h (50 mph) except in built-up areas. Water transport is regulated by the Barbados Port Authority
Barbados Port Authority
The Barbados Port Incorporated is an agency of the government of Barbados which principally regulates shipping into the island, and controls immigration into Barbados in the capital of Bridgetown. Established in 1979 as the Barbados Port Authority it was then set up as a statutory body to plan,...
.
Public buses
Public buses that head northward to destinations such as Holetown and SpeightstownSpeightstown
Speightstown , also known as Little Bristol, is the second largest town centre of Barbados. It is situated north of the capital city of Bridgetown, in the northern parish of Saint Peter....
, and to some locations in St. Michael including the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
- (Cave Hill Campus), leave from the Princess Alice Bus Terminal which lies to the west of the city centre. Buses for points east and south leave from the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal, which is on the eastern edge of the city centre, near to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is located in Barbados' capital city Bridgetown, which is located in the parish of Saint Michael. The hospital is the main General Hospital for the southern part of the island....
(QEH).
Route taxis
Route taxis are privately owned mini vans that are a cross between taxis and buses. They follow certain routes around the island. You can easily flag one of these down and for a low fare they'll take you pretty much anywhere.Re-development
- In 2004 the capital of Bridgetown celebrated its 375th Anniversary of Establishment, and did so with a year long calendar of events and twinning agreements with Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, CanadaBridgetown, Nova ScotiaBridgetown is a Canadian town in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the Annapolis River at the head of the tide, the area saw Mi'kmaq settlements in the area, followed by Acadian settlers from Port-Royal and then British-sponsored settlements by the late 18th century.There were at least ten...
, and with WilmingtonWilmington, North CarolinaWilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
in North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. - The City of Bridgetown to be revamped (Tuesday, May 30, 2006) - Barbados Advocate Newspaper
Twin and Sister cities
Bridgetown is twinned or is a sister city with some of the following cities:- Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada
Bridgetown, Nova Scotia
Bridgetown is a Canadian town in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the Annapolis River at the head of the tide, the area saw Mi'kmaq settlements in the area, followed by Acadian settlers from Port-Royal and then British-sponsored settlements by the late 18th century.There were at least ten...
(July, 2004 twinning) - Borough of Hackney, London
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK - Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
(June 28, 2004)
See also
- Demographics of BarbadosDemographics of BarbadosThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Barbados, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
- List of cities in Barbados
- List of cities in the Caribbean
- Parishes of BarbadosParishes of BarbadosThe country of Barbados is currently subdivided into sub-regions known as parishes. According to the Act of the Barbados Parliament they are officially styled as the "Parish of as opposed to the U.S. styled naming convention with the name "Parish" coming after the name...
- Transportation in Barbados
External links
- Barbados' UNESCO World Heritage application
- Historical info of Bridgetown - Barbados postal service
- Deep Water Harbour Port
- Bridgetown Cruise Terminals
- Map overview of Bridgetown
- Aerial view over Bridgetown's centre
- Detailed map of Bridgetown
- The Tramways of Bridgetown, Barbados
- The Importance of Bridgetown in the New world - The UNESCO World Heritage Centre website
