Does the Caribbean have any interesting historical sites?

Question

Of course, the region is most famous for its beaches, but are there some impressive historical sites in any of the Caribbean nations?

Answer 1

OId San Juan in Puerto Rico has some beautiful historical sites. El Morro Fortress & San Cristobal Fort are huge war forts built by the spanish over 500 years ago. They are named as UNESCO world heritage sites. Next to el Morro is a beautiful old cemetary. You can visit the San Juan Cathedral which is the 2nd oldest church in the western hemisphere & the San Jose church which was built a few years later.  The homes in Old San Juan are built in old colonial spanish style with cobblestone streets. Its a very beautiful city & the 2nd oldest in the whole western hemisphere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_San_Jua...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/olzv/218814...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mihay/22042...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rbellemare/...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oquendo/130...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mitwalter/1...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhattam/474...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/detlef1/425...

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Also in Utuado & Ponce they have taino indian parks which date back thousands of years. You can even see indian petroglyphs there & n other places on the island.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fernando_cu...

Answer 2

Try my lovely homeland St Vincent & the Grenadines. A few ideas to see are below

Fort Charlotte

On Berkshire Hill, over 600 feet above the bay, is  Named after King George III’s wife, the fortification was constructed in 1806. In its heyday, it supported 600 troops and 34 guns. Some of the old barracks now house a museum with the colourful history of the Black Caribs depicted on its walls

Fort Duvernette

Alongside Young Island, this fort (built in 1800) is situated 195 feet above the sea and was originally intended to defend the anchorage at Calliaqua Bay.

Botanic Gardens is celebrated as the first to be established in this part of the world,founded in 1762 as a commercial breeding ground for plants brought from other parts of the world. St. Vincent was Captain Bligh’s original destination when the mutiny on HMS Bounty delayed his first scheduled arrival. He eventually completed a second voyage, and a descendant of one of his original breadfruit trees thrives in today’s garden. There is also an aviary for a close-up view of the majestically coloured national bird, the St. Vincent parrot (Amazona Guildingii

Montreal Gardens

through the Mesopotamia Valley up to Montreal where a mineral spring feeds the Teviot River at about 500m. Rising up the slope from the river lies the most exquisite garden imaginable. It envelopes some 7.5 acres of fertile mountain land cradled in a hollow beneath the majestic peak of Grand Bonhomme.

the Falls of Baleine

hike to the 4,048-ft rim of La Soufrière volcano,

Owia Salt Pond. This unusual gift of nature consists of a huge bathing pool enclosed by lava peaks and ridges,The pounding waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash into this barrier and then gently cascade into the pool. Surrounded by mountains and the thundering surf,

Answer 3

Definitely Haiti is the country with the most impressive past. Haitian history is really rich. There are so many places that remind the world the past of the first black independant country. The most famous ones are Tortuga Island, The Citadelle Laferriere and many famous caves.

Answer 4

Hi there,  Do you know Antigua & Barbuda?  The earliest settlements on the island date to 2900 BC.  Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1493.  There is so much history on the island.  I have just given the following website address to someone else to find out information on Antigua regarding holidays but there is also a section on the site about the history of Antigua and what there is to see, if you look on the History Page and the Exploring Page there is loads of information that might just inspire you. So check out this site -  www.lushlocations.com - of course they also have villas to rent etc. but apart from this their information on Antigua & Barbuda is really good and there is no obligation on websites so you are free to have a look.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

Answer 5

Curacao's harbor played a very important part during the slave trading era, and this can be very clearly seen in the Museum Kura Hulanda in downtown Otrabanda.

Forts on both sides of the harbor show how things used to be, and most of the historical buildings in the downtown area are still there. This whole area is actually on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/819

Also, around the island, you will find old Plantation houses, some of which are conserved with original furniture and art work, and open to the public.

http://picasaweb.google.com/joannedelorm...

http://www.curacao.com

Answer 6

Definitely! Places like Antigua were big british outpost. You can still see the ruins of the old british navy strongholds in Antigua. You can see Horatio Nelson's house, cannons from ships, forts, its like being in the Pirates of the Caribbean Movie.

Answer 7

Yes, they are sugar plantations. Cotton plantation. HIstorical buildings. Building Significance. Forts. batteries.They are so much.

St.Croix- Botanical Gardens, Rain Forest call Olassie Davis, Camp Arawak, Mount Victory, Whim Great HOuse, The whole historic town of Christiansted  is Historic Buldings from 1733-. Fort Christiansberg,Bethlehem sugar Factory, Fort Fredrik, Fredriksted was rebuilt after the town was completely burnt after the Labor Riot in 1878. When it was rebuilt the architectural style was Victorian gingerbread right after. They have towers. SMoke stacks. Wharf. Old church buildings. they are so many.

other islands like St.Lucia. who preserve many of their plantations, has many historical buildings.

St.Kitts also. They have this fort where the English and French had a Huge battle. And good condition sugar mills.

St.Eustatious, St.Barths.

MArtinique

Look for islands that are not tooo populated and is not ravaging with tourist. Because these places tend to not preserve alot of them.