Unlike most of Caribbean islands, St Kitts has a lot more to offer tourists than just beautiful beaches, as it has a considerable history which is especially visible in the elegant Georgian architecture in the capital city of Basseterre, and it has to be one of the nicest capitals in the Caribbean. Basseterre is set against a backdrop of lush green rainforest and has numerous interesting buildings for history lovers.
The Treasury Building is a domed colonial construction right on the waterfront which served as a Customs house, and in the past virtually everything which arrived or departed from St Kitts had to pass through its arches.
The Circus is a small roundabout in the centre of the city which is modelled on Piccadilly in London. In its centre is the bright green bronze Berkeley Memorial Clock which is a cast-iron tower with four intricate clock faces. St George's Anglican Church was once named Notre Dame in 1670 by the French, and was destroyed four times before its present Georgian style reincarnation was built in 1869.
Independence Square has a somewhat grim history as it was constructed in 1790 for council meetings and slave auctions. It was named in 1983 to commemorate the independence of St Kitts and Nevis from Great Britain. Outside the city lies Old Road Bay which was the first permanent European settlement in the Leeward Islands, and was home to Sir Thomas Warner, his family and 14 others.
Although the settlers were originally on good terms with the Carib inhabitants, this piece only lasted for a few years. Warner was originally drawn to the island by its tobacco crop, and at first this supported the settlement. Although Basseterre isn’t huge, it does make a pleasant place to spend a day or two learning about some of the history of St Kitts.
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