Saint George's: Harbour and History

Saint George's brings together the harbour and a historic town centre whose cultural history can be explored from different perspectives. King’s Square is located by the harbour and connects it with Water Street and York Street. As a historic focal point and town centre, the square provides a clear point of reference. The surrounding buildings, the Globe Museum and the African Diaspora Heritage Trail reveal different facets of the place.

Harbour and historic focal point

King’s Square is more than a name on the town map: the square is by the water and links the harbour with two named streets. Its location makes it a useful point of reference as you get to know the layout of St. George. At the same time, its role as a historic focal point points to the town centre’s long history. Here, you can understand how the town fits together through the square, harbour and streets, rather than viewing individual places simply as disconnected names.

The cultural heritage also extends beyond individual buildings. The African Diaspora Heritage Trail runs through St. George and explores the history and legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as the people who have shaped Bermuda’s culture and history. This focus offers a different way to approach the past than looking at buildings alone. If you are interested in the town’s cultural history, this perspective is one of the key themes that set Saint George's apart.

The Globe Museum and its history

The Globe Museum is housed in a building constructed in 1700 that was Bermuda’s second Government House. Today, it is a museum run by the Bermuda National Trust. The house’s former function and its present role as a museum bring together two different chapters in its history. The museum also has a garden and collections that include archaeological finds from shipwrecks and excavations on the island, models of the first settlement ships and the early town, antique furniture and historical artefacts.

The range of objects extends from archaeological finds to models and furniture. Different kinds of historical evidence are brought together here: finds from wrecks and excavations, depictions of early ships and the town, and objects from the past. The building itself adds the history of the former Government House to these themes. In this way, the museum brings together architectural history, early settlement and material evidence from different contexts.

Buildings around King’s Square

Among the colonial-era buildings around King’s Square is the Town Hall, built in 1782. Its interiors are made of Bermuda cedar. The building that houses the Bank of Butterfield dates from 1776 and served as a dining hall during the American Revolution. The dates mark different historical reference points; the buildings’ stated uses add another dimension to their history. This makes it possible to appreciate the architecture not only for its forms, but also for its former functions.

The Unfinished Church in the historic Town of St. George offers a different architectural impression. Its pointed arches and weathered grey stone contrast with the lush tropical vegetation. The rising lines of the arches, the weathered surface and the greenery bring different forms and textures together. The appeal of this description lies precisely in the interplay between the building and the landscape, which creates a different effect from the buildings around King’s Square.

Choosing Saint George's as a destination

To decide whether Saint George's is right for your trip, consider which perspective interests you most: finding your way around the harbour and King’s Square, the history of the buildings, the Globe Museum’s collections, or the cultural heritage explored by the African Diaspora Heritage Trail. These themes offer different reasons to learn more about the place without requiring you to focus on just one kind of history.

If you are looking for a holiday rental in Saint George's, first consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay. Architecture and the buildings’ former uses offer different points of interest from the history of the transatlantic slave trade or the museum’s collections.

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