Your reason for visiting should be valid. Though things have relaxed, the reality is that Spanish Town is not the safest place to visit in Jamaica. Not to mention, violent crimes and property crimes were very common, so the area became known for high levels of crime. In 2010, one resident was even attacked by a ghost. In 2010, Spanish Town was considered to be one of the most dangerous places in Jamaica. They do an outstanding job of processing and digitizing priceless historical documents which otherwise would have gotten lost or dumped. Then you have the Jamaica Archives building which is where many important historical documents and artifacts are preserved. Then a stone’s throw away you have the Rodney buildings and the town square. Jago De La Vega Cathedral, for example, is the oldest church in Jamaica built in 1714. Despite its troubles with poverty and crime, the area is steeped in Jamaican and English history. Spanish Town remains one of Jamaica’s largest urban centers, so there’s still lots to see from a heritage perspective. It’s one of the first iron bridges in the Western hemisphere.
In its prime, Spanish Town was an incredible metropolis with a lot of grandeur that has since been lost.įor example, the Spanish Town Iron Bridge, which I’d pass by every morning, was erected in 1801 and was made in Rotherham, England. Places in Jamaica, such as Port Royal and Kingston, had always overshadowed Spanish Town in terms of commercial importance, this is still the town where the evolution of modern Jamaica took place. What Is Spanish Town Known For?īecause Spanish Town served as the capital city from 1534 to 1872 and saw the rule of both the Spanish and the English, it has earned an important role in Jamaica’s history. See this guide on things to do in Kingston because its in the National Gallery of Jamaica you can see and learn more about the old capital. The history of this place has been shaped by the Spanish and English rules, and the footprints are still present in the architecture.
It served as the capital of the colony until 1872 when it was moved to Kingston. When Jamaica was conquered by the English in 1655, they took the settlement from the Spanish and renamed it Spanish Town. Jago de la Vega and it was a Spanish settlement founded by Francisco de Garay. The city was first named Villa de la Vega (which translates to city or town on the plains) before being named Santiago de la Vega or St. Why Do They Call It ‘Spanish Town’ in Jamaica? It’s not a place you can let your guard down, but you can enjoy your visit if you know why you are visiting and you are nothing but cautious at all times. Statistically, Spanish Town is one of the most dangerous places in Jamaica but that does not mean you should not rent a car and make a pit stop here to see some of Jamaica’s oldest landmarks. No, Spanish Town is not safe! It’s not known as ‘the valley of death’ for nothing, but it can be safer in certain places if you take precautions.Īs you will have understood, Spanish Town doesn’t have the best reputation, and after years of traveling here, I would not advise visiting unless you are with a tour guide or a local who knows the area. There is a lot of poverty on display that you see on the average walk along the streets of Spanish Town. I have written a lot on safety in Jamaica and based on my own experience, it’s here I’ll look at the safety situation in Spanish Town, as well as what to do here so you can decide for yourself whether it’s worth visiting.Īside from the fact that I like dangerous places, I have family here, so I’ve visited the area for most of my life. It’s important to be aware of the level of safety in Spanish Town before you visit, it is a place way off the tourist towns of Ocho Rios and Negril.
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