Description of the attraction
St. John's Cathedral was built in the early 1800s. Today it is the oldest surviving colonial building in Belize, as well as the oldest Anglican church in Central America.
At this site, Britain held four coronations of the Mosquito Kings, which ensured the loyalty of the tribes to the colonists, and also supported the British interests in the extraction of logs in the area.
The cathedral is located directly across the street from the House of Culture, at the intersection of Regent and Albert Streets in Belize City. The church was built by slaves, from bricks brought to Belize as ballast on ships from Europe. It took eight years (from 1812 to 1820) to complete the construction of the complex. Inside you can find many original architectural highlights, intricate stained glass windows, decorative mahogany benches and an antique organ.
It was originally the parish church of St. John, the status of a cathedral was assigned to it in 1891, a few years after the founding of the diocese of Belize. The church houses the oldest cemetery in the country, Yarborough. During its existence, the temple has undergone many changes, including recent renovations.
At different times the cathedral was visited by famous personalities. Among them are the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1969 and the Archbishop of York in 1958, and the Archbishop of Wales in 1969. Members of the royal blood have also been to the temple, for example, Princess Anne, Princess Margaret and the Duke of Edinburgh.
