St. Michael's Cathedral, Bridgetown (must see)

Two blocks east of National Heroes Square, you’ll come to Saint Michael’s Cathedral, one of Bridgetown’s most important historic churches. The present building has been around since 1789, replacing an earlier wooden church dating from 1665, which was destroyed by a hurricane in 1780. However, that first church stood elsewhere-on the site presently occupied by Saint Mary’s Church.

Before entering, take a moment to look at the exterior. The cathedral is built largely of coral limestone, a material you’ll see in many historic buildings around Barbados. Once inside, continue straight into the central nave. From here, look directly ahead toward the sanctuary. This long central space allows you to appreciate the size of the church-fit to accommodate up to 1,600 people.

As you move farther inside, look for the marble baptismal font. Dating from the 17th century, it is actually older than the present cathedral. Also look toward the organ, one of the largest pipe organs in the Caribbean.

Next, continue toward the eastern end of the cathedral, near the main altar, and look for the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, which was added in 1938. Step inside the chapel and turn your gaze to its stained glass. The easiest window to identify is the circular central window depicting Saint Michael. Then look immediately to its left and right for two larger stained-glass windows commemorating the parents of James Challenor Lynch. These windows were made in London in the late 19th century.

Once you’ve finished exploring the interior, walk back down the nave toward the main entrance and step outside. From here, make your way into the historic graveyard surrounding the cathedral. Among the old tombstones here are the graves of several prominent Barbadians. In particular, look for Sir Grantley Adams, Barbados’s first premier and the only prime minister of the West Indies Federation. His son, Tom Adams, who later served as prime minister of Barbados, is also buried here.

This graveyard is worth a slow walk in its own right. Its weathered monuments, mature trees, and old burial stones provide a quiet contrast to the busy streets of central Bridgetown just beyond the cathedral grounds.