The Spanish Town Historic District was declared a national monument on December 12, 1994. This historic district forms part of what is called The Historic Triangle of Port Royal, Downtown Kingston and Spanish Town.

To date the St. Catherine Parish has been organizing public events in Emancipation Square and at the adjacent Jamaica Peoples Museum property. The entire historic district is currently undergoing extensive restoration funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) with the work being directed by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC). Planned tours of historic Spanish Town will begin in 2015.

Other agencies supporting the work of the Spanish Town Heritage Tourism Committee under the direction of the Mayor of Spanish Town and the St. Catherine Parish Council are:The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF)The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT)The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo)The Urban Development Corporation (UDC)The Institute of JamaicaThe Social Development Commission (SDC)The St. Catherine Chamber of Commerce and IndustryThe Spanish Town Historic Foundation

St. Catherine Parich CouncilEmancipation Square

P.O. Box 52Spanish Town, Jamaica, W.I.Tel: (876) 984-3111-2 Ext: 270

Website: www.stcatherinepc.gov.jmEmail: Heritage.Trail@stcatherinepc.gov.jm

www.facebook.com/SpanishTownHeritageTrail

The Old Iron Bridge

Spanish Town was established as the Capital City of Jamaica in 1534 by the Spanish who called it St. Jago de la Vega, making it one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean

Spanish Town became the British Capital of Jamaica in 1655 and remained the Capital City of Jamaica until 1872, when Kingston became Jamaicas Capital City.

The Spanish Town Square was the administrative centre of the Capital City and Jamaica for both the Spanish and the English. The square is the oldest example of the original Spanish Square in the Western hemisphere. The Square was renamed Emancipation Square in August 1977 and is surrounded by buildings representing some of the finest examples of Georgian architecture within the region.

Structures of significance in the Square are Old Kings House, which was erected in 1762-65, and was the Governors residence and administrative centre. The Old Court House and Town Hall, erected in 1819 on the site of the Spanish Church of the White Cross. The House of Assembly Building (now housing the Parish Council) erected in 1762. The Rodney Memorial and Colonnade, completed in 1801. The Memorial and Records Archives were built to commemorate the naval victory of the English under Admiral Rodney over the French and Spanish at the Battle of the Saints in 1782. The victory of Admiral Rodney kept Jamaica from becoming a French Colony and the statue by renowned English sculptor John Bacon was erected in 1790.

The Anglican Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega (St. James of the Plains) was established in 1655 and is the oldest Cathedral in the English Commonwealth outside of England. The Nave and Transept was erected in 1714 following hurricane of 1712.

The Old Iron Bridge, erected in 1801, (now out of use) which spans the Rio Cobre River at the east entrance of Spanish Town, is the only cast iron bridge remaining in the world today.

Phillipo Baptist Church was erected in 1827 in memory of the missionary James Phillipo. The Church is one of the oldest Baptist Churches in Jamaica. In the early 19th century, it was one of the few prominent churches largely funded by slaves and free coloureds. In 1951 it was destroyed by a hurricane and later restore.

The House of Assembly Building (now housing the Parish Council) Rodney Memorial and Emancipation Square

Emancipation Square, an aerial view

Phillipo Baptist Church

The Anglican Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega

Old Kings House