The Spanish Town Historic District was declared a national
monument on December 12, 1994. This historic district forms part of
what is called The Historic Triangle of Port Royal, Downtown
Kingston and Spanish Town.
To date the St. Catherine Parish has been organizing public
events in Emancipation Square and at the adjacent Jamaica Peoples
Museum property. The entire historic district is currently
undergoing extensive restoration funded by the Tourism Enhancement
Fund (TEF) with the work being directed by the Urban Development
Corporation (UDC). Planned tours of historic Spanish Town will
begin in 2015.
Other agencies supporting the work of the Spanish Town Heritage
Tourism Committee under the direction of the Mayor of Spanish Town
and the St. Catherine Parish Council are:The Tourism Enhancement
Fund (TEF)The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT)The Tourism
Product Development Company (TPDCo)The Urban Development
Corporation (UDC)The Institute of JamaicaThe Social Development
Commission (SDC)The St. Catherine Chamber of Commerce and
IndustryThe Spanish Town Historic Foundation
St. Catherine Parich CouncilEmancipation Square
P.O. Box 52Spanish Town, Jamaica, W.I.Tel: (876) 984-3111-2 Ext:
270
Website: www.stcatherinepc.gov.jmEmail:
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/SpanishTownHeritageTrail
The Old Iron Bridge
Spanish Town was established as the Capital City of Jamaica in
1534 by the Spanish who called it St. Jago de la Vega, making it
one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean
Spanish Town became the British Capital of Jamaica in 1655 and
remained the Capital City of Jamaica until 1872, when Kingston
became Jamaicas Capital City.
The Spanish Town Square was the administrative centre of the
Capital City and Jamaica for both the Spanish and the English. The
square is the oldest example of the original Spanish Square in the
Western hemisphere. The Square was renamed Emancipation Square in
August 1977 and is surrounded by buildings representing some of the
finest examples of Georgian architecture within the region.
Structures of significance in the Square are Old Kings House,
which was erected in 1762-65, and was the Governors residence and
administrative centre. The Old Court House and Town Hall, erected
in 1819 on the site of the Spanish Church of the White Cross. The
House of Assembly Building (now housing the Parish Council) erected
in 1762. The Rodney Memorial and Colonnade, completed in 1801. The
Memorial and Records Archives were built to commemorate the naval
victory of the English under Admiral Rodney over the French and
Spanish at the Battle of the Saints in 1782. The victory of Admiral
Rodney kept Jamaica from becoming a French Colony and the statue by
renowned English sculptor John Bacon was erected in 1790.
The Anglican Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega (St. James of the
Plains) was established in 1655 and is the oldest Cathedral in the
English Commonwealth outside of England. The Nave and Transept was
erected in 1714 following hurricane of 1712.
The Old Iron Bridge, erected in 1801, (now out of use) which
spans the Rio Cobre River at the east entrance of Spanish Town, is
the only cast iron bridge remaining in the world today.
Phillipo Baptist Church was erected in 1827 in memory of the
missionary James Phillipo. The Church is one of the oldest Baptist
Churches in Jamaica. In the early 19th century, it was one of the
few prominent churches largely funded by slaves and free coloureds.
In 1951 it was destroyed by a hurricane and later restore.
The House of Assembly Building (now housing the Parish Council)
Rodney Memorial and Emancipation Square
Emancipation Square, an aerial view
Phillipo Baptist Church
The Anglican Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega
Old Kings House