Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
St. George:
A WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Historic St. George
and its related forti-
fications are now a World Heritage Site
designated by UNESCO. The architectur-
ally rich, 400-year-old town joins such
select sites as the Great Wall of China,
Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal, and historic
center of Florence.
As the oldest continuously inhabited
town of English origin in the Western
Hemisphere, St. George and its sur-
rounding buildings, monuments, and
structures illustrate the residents' life-
styles through the 17th, 18th, and 19th
centuries. Historic St. George remains in
authentic condition, featuring unique
and diverse examples of Bermudian
architecture spanning the past 4 centu-
ries. The town's various forts are like a
textbook illustrating British artillery and
the changing styles of fort architecture
from 1612 to 1956.
7
At the head of Broad Alley, behind St. Peter's Church.
&
441/297-4261.
www.bnt.bm. Free admission
(donations appreciated). Nov-Mar Wed 1-5pm.
Old State House
Behind the Town Hall is Bermuda's oldest stone building, con-
structed with turtle oil and lime mortar in 1620. Unless there's a special event, the
landmark building doesn't offer much to see—you might settle for a look at the exte-
rior, then continue on with your sightseeing. The Old State House, where meetings
of the legislative council once took place, was eventually turned over to the Freema-
sons of St. George. The government asked the annual rent of one peppercorn and
insisted on the right to hold meetings here upon demand. The Masonic Lodge mem-
bers, in a ceremony filled with pageantry, still turn over one peppercorn in rent to the
Bermuda government every April.
The annual
Peppercorn Ceremony,
a 45-minute spectacle, takes place in early
to mid-April. The ceremony begins around 11am with the gathering of the Bermuda
Regiment on King's Square. Then the premier, mayor, and other dignitaries arrive,
amid the bellowing introductions of the town crier. As soon as all the principals have
taken their places, a 17-gun salute is fired as the governor and his wife make a grand
entrance. His Excellency inspects a military guard of honor while the Bermuda
Regiment Band plays. The stage is now set for the presentation of the peppercorn,
which sits on a silver plate atop a velvet cushion. Payment is made in a grand and
formal manner, after which the Old State House is immediately used for a meeting
of Her Majesty's Council.
Princess St.
&
441/292-2480
for appointments. For information on the Peppercorn Ceremony, call
&
800/223-6106. Free admission. Wed 10am-3pm or by appointment.
Somers Garden
The heart of Sir George Somers was buried here in 1610; a stone
column perpetuates the memory of Bermuda's founder. The garden was opened in
1920 by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII, and then the Duke of Windsor).
A large fountain has been built in the middle of the garden to enhance its beauty,
where visitors may also take pictures, using the foundation for a background.
Duke of York St.
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441/297-1532.
Free admission. Apr-Nov daily 7:30am-8pm; Dec-Mar daily
7:30am-5pm.
St. George's Historical Society Museum
Set in a home built around 1700,
this museum contains an original 18th-century Bermuda kitchen, complete with
