St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Newgate Street in St. John's |
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| Location | ||
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| Government | ||
| Country: | Antigua and Barbuda | |
| Geography | ||
| Antigua | ||
| Area: | 10 km² (4 sq mi) | |
| Population: | 31, 000 (2005) | |
| Density: | 3100/km² | |
| Emergency Numbers | ||
| Police/Ambulance: | 911 | |
| Fire: | 462 0044 | |
| Air/Sea Rescuse: | 462 3062 | |
| Police Headquarters: | 462 0125 | |
| Time zone | ||
| Standard: | GMT (GMT-4) | |
St John's is the capital city of the nation of Antigua and Barbuda, a country located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. St John's is located at . With a population of 24,226 (2000), St John's is the commercial centre of the nation and the chief port of the island of Antigua. The settlement of St John's has been the administrative centre of Antigua and Barbuda since the islands were first colonised in 1632, and it became the seat of government when the nation achieved independence in 1981.
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[edit] Sights
[edit] St. John's Cathedral
The skyline of St. John's is dominated by the white baroque towers of St. John's Cathedral. The present cathedral was built in 1845, and is now in its third incarnation — as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures. The iron gates on the south face of the church are flanked by pillars displaying lead figures of St John the Divine and St John the Baptist. They were taken by HMP Temple in 1756, from a French ship destined for Martinique.
[edit] Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is housed in the colonial Court House, constructed in 1747 on the site of the first city market, and is the oldest building still in use in the city. The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artifacts recovered on archaeological digs on the islands. It also features a life-sized replica of an Arawak house, models of sugar plantations, along with a history of the island, and Viv Richards' cricket bat.
[edit] Other Sights
On Friday and Saturday mornings, there is a farmers' market on the southern edge of the city, with folk crafts, colorful tropical fruits, and a buzzing crowd. The towers of the cathedral are the first sight of Antigua for the roughly half of the island's visitors each year who arrive by boat. With its recently completed cruise ship dock, shopping centre, Heritage Quay and several hotels, St. John's is a lively hub for shopping and dining.
Just east of St. John's is the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, a multi-use stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, that is currently under construction. When completed in 2007, it will be used mostly for cricket matches, and will host matches during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
St John's is served by the VC Bird International Airport.
[edit] External link
- Map of St. John's at Caribbean-On-Line.com
