Bridgetown
Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The City", but the most common reference is simply "Town". As of 2014, its metropolitan population stands at roughly 110,000.
City of Bridgetown
Bridgetown | |
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Top: View of Bridgetown from Carlisle Bay; Middle: Downtown Bridgetown, Parliament Buildings; National Heroes Square, Cathedral Church of Saint Michael and All Angels | |
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Location of Bridgetown (red star) | |
City of Bridgetown Location on a map of Barbados parishes | |
| Coordinates: 13°05′51″N 59°37′00″W | |
| Country | Barbados |
| Parish | Saint Michael |
| Established | 1628 |
| City status | 1824 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15 sq mi (40 km2) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Population (2014) | |
| • Total | 110,000 |
| • Density | 7,300/sq mi (2,800/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (AST) |
| Area code | +1 246 |
| Official name | Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii, vi |
| Designated | 2011 |
| Reference no. | 1376 |
| Region | Americas |
The Bridgetown port, found along Carlisle Bay (at 13.106°N 59.632°W) lies on the southwestern coast of the island. Parts of the Greater Bridgetown area (as roughly defined by the Ring Road Bypass or more commonly known as the ABC Highway), sit close to the borders of the neighbouring parishes Christ Church and St. James. The Grantley Adams International Airport for Barbados, is located 16 kilometres (10 mi) southeast of Bridgetown city centre, and has daily flights to major cities in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and the Caribbean. There is no longer a local municipal government, but it is a constituency of the national Parliament. During the short-lived 1950s-1960s Federation of the British West Indian Territories, Bridgetown was one of three capital cities within the region being considered to be the Federal capital of the region.
The present-day location of the city was established by English settlers in 1628; a previous settlement under the authority of Sir William Courten was at St. James Town. Bridgetown is a major West Indies tourist destination, and the city acts as an important financial, informatics, convention centre, and cruise ship port of call in the Caribbean region. On 25 June 2011, "Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison" was added as a World Heritage Site of UNESCO.