Belize City- Perfect Place for History Lovers!

When in Belize City....Go Back in Time!Bliss Institute for the Performing Arts
Belize is known around the world not only for itsBliss Institute for the Performing Arts serves as the
breathtaking natural beauty but also its ancientcultural center of Belize City. Initially it used to house the
monuments. Belize City especially is seeped in history,Belize Arts Council, library and a museum of Mayan
its landscape liberally dotted with historical monumentsartifact. However after a recent renovation, it has got
and buildings.a role as the primary performance arm of the
In fact, there are many places in Belize City that needMuseum of Belize. It hosts a wide variety of events
more than 2-3 hours to explore fully, such as:such as theater performances, film festivals, dance
Fort Street Tourism Villagetroops, and community events.
Specifically designed for ship passengers toMuseum of Belize
experience Belize in a unique way, Fort Street TourismInitially designed as a colonial prison in the mid 1800s,
Village is located near the Haulover Creek.this double storey historic brick building located on
Architecturally similar to an open-air Mini-Mall, the VillageGabourel Lane is today the Museum of Belize. It
has three terminals and three courtyards with a housefeatures a beautiful assortment of historical
full of variety of stores and businesses, where touristsphotographs, documents, and artifacts along a
can enjoy best of both the worlds- air-conditionedpermanent exhibit of ancient Mayan pottery and other
facilities and fresh tropical breezes.archaeological findings. The age old prison cells are
Baron Bliss Lighthouse Monumentbeing restored to their original condition today, to allow
The Baron Bliss Lighthouse Monument located at Fortvisitors to relive its stark past.
George Point towers over the harbor entrance is oneSupreme Court Building
of the major attractions found in the Belize City. ThisBuilt in 1926, Supreme Court Building is another
beautiful monument is actually a tribute to Belize'slandmark of Belize City. Constructed of reinforced
greatest benefactor Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss,concrete in a classic British colonial style with a dome
the 5th baron of Portugal. To fulfill his last wish, he wastopped clock tower, the Supreme Court Building is a
entombed in front of the lighthouse. The view of thebeautiful work of classic architecture. The building is
lighthouse can be enjoyed from the high seawall whichlocated on the same site where the original courthouse
is referred to as “Fort Point” by the fishermenwas built in 1818.
and boatmen.Swing Bridge
St. John's CathedralThe southern and northern side of Belize City is
Located at the south end of Albert Street, St. John'sconnected by the Swing Bridge. Built in 1922, this old
Cathedral is the oldest building in Belize. In fact, this isbridge is the only functional manually operated swing
the oldest Anglican Church in the world outside ofbridge left in the world. Everyday it opens twice to
England where the crowning of several Kings ofmake a passage for sailboats and other large boats to
Mosquito Coast took place during 1812 to 1824. Thispass through the river.
beautiful church was built from red colored bricksApart from these places, there are many more places
brought to Belize as ballast by ships sailing fromof Belize City that might attract you. This is a paradise
Europe.for history, anthropology and architecture buffs and the
House of Culture Museumbeauty of the place has even compelled many to think
Once the residence of colonial governors, House ofof moving to Belize City permanently.
Culture Museum located in Belize City is a now aFor a memorable vacation in Belize, it is important to
historical museum. It hosts a permanent exhibition ofplan your holiday beforehand by consulting a reputed
classic furniture, historical photos, authentic silverwaretravel agency. A good Belize vacation rental package
and glassware collection. The building itself, built in theor Belize jungle vacation package can help you a lot in
early 1800s, is a beautiful combination of Caribbeanthis regard.
Vernacular and English Urban architecture.