St. John's Cathedral, Belize City
Encyclopedia
St. John's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral
in the city of Belize City
, Belize
. The cathedral was the first church to be built in the colony of British Honduras
. It was constructed in 1812, although it has numerous alterations dating to more recent renovations. The exterior of the church is of brick
; the interior is fitted out in mahogany
and sapodilla
.
It is a historical landmark of Belize
from the colonial influence of the country's past. Attached to the church is the oldest cemetery in the country, Yarborough Cemetery
.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in the city of Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
. The cathedral was the first church to be built in the colony of British Honduras
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...
. It was constructed in 1812, although it has numerous alterations dating to more recent renovations. The exterior of the church is of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
; the interior is fitted out in mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
and sapodilla
Sapodilla
Manilkara zapota, commonly known as the sapodilla, is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatan in the Petenes mangroves ecoregion, where it is a subdominant plant species...
.
It is a historical landmark of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
from the colonial influence of the country's past. Attached to the church is the oldest cemetery in the country, Yarborough Cemetery
Yarborough Cemetery
Yarborough Cemetery is an historical cemetery located in Belize City, Belize. It was the first cemetery in British Honduras, used from 1787 until 1896, and was established for the burial of members of the colonial Anglican Church. It was named after the magistrate who owned the land...
.