St. George's (
Grenadian Creole French
Grenadian Creole is a variety of Antillean Creole. In Grenada and among Grenadians, it is referred to as patois.
History
Following several unsuccessful attempts by Europeans to colonise the island due to resistance from resident Island Caribs, ...
: ''Sen Jòj'') is the
capital
Capital and its variations may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital
** List of national capitals
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter
Econom ...
and largest city of
Grenada
Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...
. The city is surrounded by a hillside of an old
volcano
A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most oft ...
crater and is located on a horseshoe-shaped harbour.
St. George's is a popular
Caribbean
The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
tourist destination. The town has witnessed an economic boom from 2014 to 2016, and also improved its tourism and various other sectors in 2022 while preserving its history, culture, and natural environment. The parish in which St George's is located, is the home of
St. George’s University School of Medicine and
Maurice Bishop International Airport
Maurice Bishop International Airport , formerly known as Point Salines Airport, is an international airport located in the parish of St. George's. The town of St. George's is about north of the airport and is the capital of the island nation ...
. The main exports are cocoa bean (cacao), nutmeg, and mace spice.
It has a moderate tropical climate that ensures the success of spice production. Nutmeg is a key crop, followed by spices such as cocoa, mace, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger.
History
St. George's was founded by the
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
in 1650 when "La Grenade" (
Grenada
Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...
) was colonised by
Jacques Dyel du Parquet
Jacques Dyel du Parquet (1606 – 3 January 1658) was a French soldier who was one of the first governors of Martinique.
He was appointed governor of the island for the Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique in 1636, a year after the first French set ...
, the governor of
Martinique
Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
. The French began their colonisation with a series of skirmishes that virtually exterminated the island's native Carib population.
In 1666, a wooden
fortification
A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...
was constructed by French colonists on a promontory overlooking Grenada's natural harbour and named ''Fort Royale''. In 1705, work started on a new
star fort
A bastion fort or ''trace italienne'' (a phrase derived from non-standard French, meaning 'Italian outline') is a fortification in a style developed during the early modern period in response to the ascendancy of gunpowder weapons such as c ...
on the same site, with four stone-built
bastion
A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...
s, to the design of Jean de Giou de Caylus, the Chief Engineer of the "Islands of America" the
French West Indies
The French West Indies or French Antilles (, ; ) are the parts of France located in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean:
* The two overseas departments of:
** Guadeloupe, including the islands of Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Les Saintes, Ma ...
. It was completed in 1710.
Meanwhile, the original colonial settlement at the eastern edge of the harbour called ''Saint Louis'' after King
Louis IX of France
Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), also known as Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death in 1270. He is widely recognized as the most distinguished of the Direct Capetians. Following the death of his father, Louis VI ...
, later known as Port Louis, was found to be subject to flooding and
malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
, so a new town was constructed called ''Ville de Fort Royal'' ("Fort Royal Town"). When the island was ceded to
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
by the
Treaty of Paris in 1763, the new administration renamed it
Saint George
Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
's Town, after the
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...
of England and ''Fort Royal'' was renamed Fort George, after
King George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
.
[Crask, Paul (2009)]
''Grenada: Carriacou - Petite Martinique''
Bradt Travel Guides Ltd (p. 92) On 1 November 1775 there was a fire in the town of St. George's known as the great fire of St George's. After the great fire of 1771, most of the boarding houses on Granby Street were moved to
Gouyave
Gouyave is the capital and largest town in the parish of St John, Grenada. It is located on the west coast of the island of Grenada.
History
Originally called Charlotte Town after Queen Charlotte of Britain, it was renamed Gouyave by the French ...
.
Following the withdrawal of
Bridgetown
Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the Parishes of Barbados, parish of Saint Michael, Barbados, Saint Mic ...
,
Barbados
Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
, in the mid-1880s, St. George's went on to become the replacement capital of the former colony of the
British Windward Islands
The British Windward Islands was an administrative grouping of British colonies in the Windward Islands of the West Indies, existing from 1833 until 3 January 1958 and consisting of the islands of Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent (island), S ...
.
The Tikal was the first art cater shop in Grenada and it was opened in December 1959. Grenada achieved independence from Britain in 1974. Following a leftist coup in 1983, the island
was invaded by
U. S. troops and a pro-USA government was reinstated. In 2004, St. George's and the rest of Grenada was severely battered by
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, and devastating tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane, and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic h ...
. The hurricane left significant destruction across the island and crippled much of the island's infrastructure. It was estimated that some 90% of the island's homes had sustained damage and the nutmeg trees, which are key to Grenada's economy, were devastated. A year later with the help of international donors (Canada, the United States, China, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago, and the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
) Grenada had experienced a significant turn around in rebuilding efforts. By 2007, Grenada had participated as planned in the hosting of the
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth Cricket World Cup, a One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007. There were a total of 51 matches played, three fewer than at the 2 ...
. Now St. George's is one of the top 10 Yacht destinations.
Culture
Carnival takes place the second week in August. This festival celebrates the emancipation of slaves. The Sunday night celebrations continue into the early morning hours on Monday. On Monday a carnival pageant is held on stage at Queen's Park, where costumes, themes and calypso queens are judged. On Tuesday, St. George's vibrates to the sounds of the calypso steel bands as they parade through the streets.
Climate
St. George's has a humid
tropical marine climate
A tropical marine climate is a tropical climate that is primarily influenced by the ocean. It is usually experienced by islands and coastal areas 10° to 20° north and south of the equator. There are two main seasons in a tropical marine climate: ...
but has the influences of a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States ...
, with a
wet season
The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
(June to November) and a noticeably
dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
(December to May). St. George's sees frequent thunderstorms and occasional hurricanes from easterlies, while winter is marginally cooler and somewhat drier. The feeling of heat is exacerbated from the strong equatorial UV rays and high humidity all year.
Spices
Nutmeg & mace
Nutmeg and mace come from the fruit of the aromatic
Myristica fragrans
''Myristica fragrans'', commonly known as the nutmeg tree, is an evergreen species Indigenous (ecology), indigenous to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. This aromatic tree is economically significant as the primary source of two distinct spices: n ...
tree. The tree was introduced on 3 March 1967
to the Spice Island. The Nutmeg Tree is an evergreen with dark green leaves and small yellow flowers, and grows up to 12 meters tall. It starts bearing fruit after seven or eight years and continues to do so for up to 40 years. The fruit looks like an apricot and when ripe, it splits open to reveal a walnut-sized seed. The seed coverings are lacy, red-orange strips, which are made into mace powder; the seed itself is ground down into nutmeg powder. It is used extensively for cooking to enhance the flavor of cakes, soups, desserts, drinks and sauces.
Cinnamon
This comes from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree (Cinnamonum verum). Whole or ground, it is a popular household spice internationally. It is used to flavor beverages and cakes.
Clove
This dried flavored flower bud, whole or ground (Syzygium aromaticum) is used at home to season hams, sausages, meats, mincemeat pies, fish, turtle preserves and pickles.
Sugar cane
From June to December, cuttings from the tops of cane are laid in holes about deep by then covered with soil. As the cane grows taller, fertiliser is used. Between planting and harvesting, bananas, corn, peas, potatoes, and other crops are cultivated. January to May, the ripe cane are cut and delivered to the mill to be ground. Boiling and clarifying the cane juice is the next operation. The juice is strained after grinding and then taken to the clarifying copper to be boiled. (Wood coal is the main source fuel). Lime is added to speed up the operation. The liquid sugar is put into coolers for about 14 hours. The molasses is then drained off and taken to the still house to be made into rum.
Transportation and customs
Private boats and yachts can complete customs and immigration processing in St. George's and Prickly Bay, Lance Aux Epines as well as in Carriacou. Travellers passing through Grenada are required to have a passport. Those whose travel involves stay over in other countries, should check on entry requirements for those countries. There is also a bus terminal for island wide transport.
Hospitals
* General Hospital
* Mount Gay Hospital
* Old Trafford Medical Centre
* St Augustine's Medical Services
*
St. George’s University School of Medicine
* Marryshows' Hospital & Health Clinic
* Salus Clinic
Main sites
St. Margaret's Falls
So named because it passes by seven of Grand Etang's mountain waterfalls, which are nestled in the emerald vegetation of the rain forest. The trail takes about three hours, even for experienced hikers.
Roman Catholic cathedral
The tower of St. George's Cathedral was built in 1818. The interior of the church is painted in bright colours.
Anglican church

St. George's Anglican Church was built in 1825, and a clock was later added in 1904 which plays the Westminster chimes on the hour. The church laid in ruin for a decade following heavy damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, when it continued to be used informally by locals for both prayer as well as school classes. Following several years of reconstruction work since the mid-2010s, the building returned to its function as a church.
Fort George
Located on the promontory to the west of the harbour is Fort George. Built in 1705 by the
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
, many of the buildings are now used by the police. One of the rooms has been converted to a gym and another to a sort of sewing room. Much of the fort is still intact and open to visitors.
However, the buildings are very dilapidated, from a combination of hurricane damage and neglect, and there is little or no information within the fort itself. There's a good view from the battlements. There is a $2.00 per person fee to visit the Fort.
Grenada National Museum
The
Grenada National Museum is housed in French barracks, which date from 1704, and which later served as a prison. The building was also used as the island's first hotel. The museum displays a variety of historical items including Carib and Arawak artefacts, sugar processing machines and equipment, whaling industry items, and Josephine Bonaparte's marble bath.
Other sites
*
National Cricket Stadium
* St. Georges fresh produce marketplace
* Grande Anse beach, shopping centres, hotels
*
Maurice Bishop International Airport
Maurice Bishop International Airport , formerly known as Point Salines Airport, is an international airport located in the parish of St. George's. The town of St. George's is about north of the airport and is the capital of the island nation ...
(Point(e) Saline)
* Parliament Building, also known as York House, houses the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Supreme Court
* Governor General Residence, government offices
* Fort Frederick Fort Complex
References
*"Grenada Vacations Caribbean Travel - Grenada St. George Grenada Holidays." Caribbean Vacations - Official Site of the Caribbean. 2011. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
* "Virtual Tourist. "Saint George Hotels." Virtual Tourist. 2011. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
*AAA. Caribbean Travel Book: Including Bermuda. Heathrow, FA, : AAA, 2001. Print.
*Ins & Outs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 2004 ed. St. Thomas, Barbados: Miller, 2004. Print.
*Martinique, Petit. "Grenada." Travellers Guide. 2003. Map
*Quashie, Lesley. "The Festivals of St. Vincent & he Grenadines." Ins & Outs of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 2004 ed. St. Thomas, Barbados: Miller, 2004. 8–10. Print.
External links
Images of St. George's
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint George, Grenada
Capitals in North America
Capitals in the Caribbean
Populated places in Grenada
Populated places established in 1650
1650 establishments in Grenada
Port cities in the Caribbean
1650 establishments in the French colonial empire