ST. ANDREW!!
Kingston, being Jamaica’s capital and one of the fourteen parishes of Jamaica is located on the south-eastern end of the island. Kingston is sheltered by mountains from the cold northers and north-east trade. Because of this Kingston suffers from insufficient amounts of rainfall. Kingston occupies an area less than 8.5 square miles, while St. Andrew is sited on a total of 166.3 square miles. Although Kingston is the smallest parish, it is also the most densely populated of the fourteen parishes.
Jamaica’s first capital under the Spanish occupation was at Spanish Town, some 10 miles inwards, whereas the island’s major centre of trade was at Port Royal at the edge of Kinston Harbour which is the seventh largest harbour in the world.
Port Royal is part of the parish of Kingston. In days gone by, Port Royal was the headquarters of the English buccaneers. The buccaneers harassed Spanish ships which in turn made the town wealthy from all the goods raided. Soon Port Royal became the wickedest city in the world because of the riotous life of the town’s inhabitants.
In 1692, an earthquake and tidal wave destroyed two-thirds of Port Royal.. In 1703, a fire in Port Royal destroyed all that was spared from the earthquake and additionally destroyed some of the buildings that had been destroyed.
The original grid pattern of Kingston is nearly the same as it was in old times except for a few additions. Kingston developed at a phenomenal rate and soon became the centre of trade and commerce. The population of Kingston grew so much that it spilled over in the north into St. Andrew. In 1923 Kingston and St. Andrew were amalgamated into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation.
Sometime in the mid- eighteen century, the Governor of Jamaica, Admiral Charles Knowles first attempted to make Kingston the capital of Jamaica (from Spanish Town). However, this bill was turned down by the then King of England. In the late eighteenth century Kingston was finally made the capital of Jamaica.
St. Andrew was one of the first parishes to be established by Law in 1867, having been known prior to that time as 'Liguanea'.
Special Attractions
Port
Royal
- was built by the British in 1656.
Devon
House
- was built in the 1880's by a black millionaire. It now houses
restaurants and craft shops.
Hope
Gardens
- was formerly part of the Hope Sugar Estate. It contains an amusement park
and a children's zoo.
King's House
- is the residence of the Governor General of Jamaica.
Jamaica
House
- was built after Independence to be the official residence of the Prime
Minister. However, today it serves as the office of the Prime Minister.
Vale Royal
- was formerly known as Prospect Pen. It now serves as the official
residence of the Prime Minister.
Gordon House
- is the meeting place of the House of Representatives. It was built in
1960 and was named after George William Gordon, one of Jamaica's National
Heroes.
National
Heroes Park
- was formerly known as the
George
VI Memorial Park and prior to that the Kingston Race Course. Several
monuments in memory of Jamaica's National Heroes have been erected.
Jamaica
Conference Centre
- is now extensively used as a venue for local and international conferences
and seminars. It was constructed in the late 1970's to house the
International Law of the Sea Secretariat.
National Gallery
- houses some of Jamaica's invaluable art collections.
Institute
of Jamaica
- was founded in 1879 for the "encouragement of literature, science and
art". The National Library can also be found here.
National Stadium and Arena
- houses both local and international sporting events. The National Stadium
was opened in 1692 to mark Jamaica's Independence while the National Arena,
which is a major venue for indoor sporting events as well as other forms of
entertainment, was built in 1966.
Bank of
Jamaica
-
Kingston
Crafts Market
-
Kingston
Parish Church
-
Cultural Training Centre
-
University of the
West
Indies
-
Bob
Marley Museum
.
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