Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
THE SWING BRIDGE
Belize City's most recognizable landmark, the
Swing Bridge
, reflects the city's history.
The first wooden bridge was built in the early 1800s, replacing a system in which cattle and
other commodities were winched over the waterway that divides the city - hence the
name
Haulover Creek
. Its next incarnation, the Liverpool-made Swing Bridge, opened in
1923 and is the only manually operated swing bridge left in the Americas. When in action,
it's intriguing to watch: using long poles inserted into a capstan, four men lever the bridge
until it's facing the harbour mouth, and then the boats sail through. Note that during the
few minutes that the bridge is open, the creek tra
c is busier than that on the roads,
with the whole city jammed up. The bridge used to open twice daily, but these days, it
does so less frequently, usually only when large boats are passing through or during
special occasions when dignitaries are in town. Either way, it's worth stopping by for
postcard views of Belize City from the bridge, with Haulover Creek bobbing with
colourful fishing boats.
an earlier building was destroyed by fire. The Courthouse overlooks a tree-lined square
with an ornamental fountain in the centre, known as Central Park until it was renamed
Battlefield Park
in the early 1990s, commemorating the heated pre-independence
political meetings that took place here; nowadays most of the noise is the raucous
chatter of grackles, which roost here in their thousands.
Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts
Southern Foreshore, on the waterfront a block south of the Courthouse •
Visitor centre
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; performances usually
6-9pm; check calendar for dates •
T
227 2110,
W
nichbelize.org
The extensively refurbished and handsome
Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts
is an
epicentre of Belizean culture, hosting concerts, plays and exhibitions from around the
country. Operated by the
Institute of Creative Arts
(ICA), the centre features a sleek,
marble-lined entrance hall that opens onto a six-hundred-seat theatre. The ICA serves
as a catalyst for the creative arts in Belize, supporting and promoting local dance,
music, theatre, visual arts and creative writing whilst also working closely with the
Ministry of Education to foster artistic training and education.
St John's Cathedral
Southern end of Albert St • Daily 6am-6pm • Free
At the southern end of Albert Street,
St John's Cathedral
is the oldest Anglican
cathedral in Central America and one of the oldest buildings in Belize. Its construction
lasted from 1812 to 1820 and used red bricks brought over as ballast in British ships.
With its square, battlemented tower, it looks like a large English parish church. The
main structure has survived almost two hundred years of tropical heat and hurricanes,
though a fire in 2002 destroyed most of the roof, which was then fully restored. In the
first half of the nineteenth century, several indigenous kings of the Mosquito Coast
held their coronation ceremonies here.
Yarborough Cemetery
Daily 6am-6pm • Free
Just west of St John's Cathedral,
Yarborough Cemetery
was named after the
magistrate who owned the land and permitted the burial of prominent people
here from 1781; commoners were admitted only after 1870. Although the graves
have fallen into disrepair, a browse among the stones will turn up fascinating snippets
of history.
