Cathedral of St. Michael


The period of British colonization in Barbados had a significant impact on the life and culture of the island. One of the most striking proof of this is the St. Michael's Cathedral, built to commemorate the British Empire and marking its strength and power.

From the history of the cathedral

St. Michael's Cathedral was founded and consecrated in 1665. For all of its existence, it has twice been exposed to the devastating effects of a hurricane. In 1780 the building was almost completely destroyed. This circumstance became the reason for holding significant reconstruction in the cathedral, which lasted three years. In 1789 the building was completely restored, a special head was erected above the altar.

World glory to the Cathedral of St. Michael came in 1751. In the middle of this year, the then US President George Washington attended the prayer service in the cathedral. For visitors, the church was opened only at the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, there are always guided tours, during which the guide tells in detail about the history of the temple, its external and internal splendor.

What is interesting about the cathedral?

The Cathedral of St. Michael is a very majestic building with rich paintings and interior decoration. It was built according to Anglican architectural traditions. The main idea of ​​the architects was the creation of a cultural object that would remind the inhabitants of Barbados of England and its capital.

Speaking about the exterior of the cathedral, it is worth noting that it is made in the Georgian style, the characteristic features of which are the lancet windows of the master's masterful work, the tower on the facade, made of colored coral stone. To the main building, a little later than the cathedral was erected directly, they built a magnificent three-tier bell tower of the Baroque type, on its upper storey there was a colonnade.

The first thing that draws the attention of the inside of the temple is a spacious hall that seats a thousand people, and a majestic curved ceiling trimmed with pebbles. English masters carefully studied all the details of the interior. The painting of walls and arches in the inner hall, choirs, thrones and icons were created exclusively by English artists. A distinctive feature is also written in English commandments on the north side of the apse and prayer in other parts of the hall. Attracting tourists' attention carved gilded iconostasis was performed by local craftsmen.

Separately it is worth mentioning about the altar part of the cathedral. Here the marble floor is laid and a casket with the particles of holy relics is installed, access to which, unfortunately, is limited. Near St. Michael's Cathedral in Barbados is a garden of ancient trees and a broken cemetery, where the first prime minister of the island Grantley Adams is also buried.

How to visit?

This cathedral is on the list of 11 parishes of Barbados , it is located in the center of the capital of the island state - Bridgetown , slightly east of the National Heroes Square. For his visit, you will need to fly to the international airport Grantley Adams , located just 14 km east of Bridgetown. At the airport, you can rent a car or take a taxi to get directly to the temple.