Bridgetown

The City of Bridgetown, metropolitan pop 96,578 (2006), is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael. The Bridgetown port is located at 13°7N 59°37W on the southwestern coast of the island along Carlisle Bay. Parts of the Greater Bridgetown area lie along the borders of the neighbouring parishes Christ Church and St. James.

The city of Bridgetown, and the wider Greater Bridgetown area occupy most of the parish of Saint Michael, an area which covers around 39km² (15 sq. mi). Bridgetown's centre was originally composed of a swamp, which was quickly drained and filled-in to make way for the city's early development.

Bridgetown is the only city outside continental North America that George Washington visited. (George Washington House, the actual house where he stayed, is now part of the Garrison Historic Area)

From 1800 until 1885 Bridgetown served as the main seat of Government for the former British colonies of the Windward Islands. During this period the resident Governor of Barbados also served as the Colonial head of the Windward Islands. After the Government of Barbados officially exited from the Windward Island union in 1885, the seat was moved from Bridgetown to St. George's on the neighbouring island of Grenada.

In the centre lies the main street of Bridgetown which is Broad Street which runs directly through the centre of the city. Broad Street passes the Parliament Buildings and serves as the centre of city's shopping area.

Another major traffic artery into the city is Bay Street (which turns into Highway 7) and leads toward the South Coast of Barbados and the Parish of Christ Church. There are also other notable streets in Bridgetown, including:

Swan Street - which is parallel to Broad Street, to the north.
Roebuck Street - which leads towards Queens Park to the North, and East of Swan Street.

Points of interest
National Heroes Square (formerly Trafalgar Square) and Fountain Garden
Parliament Building
Nelson StatueParliament Buildings of Barbados
The Cathedral Church of Saint Michaels and All Angels
The St. Mary's Anglican Church
The St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral
The Jewish Synagogue
The Pelican Village and Craft Centre
Queen's Park
The Nelson Statue
The Barbados Museum
Carlisle Bay Beach

Bridgetown serves as a principal centre of commercial activity in Barbados, as well as a central hub for the island's public transport system. Many of the ministries and departments of the island's government are located within the Greater Bridgetown area. The Public Buildings or parliament, which stand at the heart of the city directly north of Heroes Square, house the third oldest continuous parliament in the British Commonwealth. Indeed, at one point in the city's early history, Bridgetown was the most important city of all British possessions in the New World due to the city's easterly location in the Caribbean region.