St. John's Cathedral

About this place

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist is the oldest Anglican church in Central America, in Belize City, the seat of the Bishop of Belize and mother church of its diocese. Its red brick tower looks plain, yet it is one of the country's oldest landmarks, tied closely to the history of the former British colony. It was built from 1812 to 1820 with bricks carried as ships' ballast, and it was the first church built in the colony of British Honduras. The British built it using enslaved labour. It became a cathedral in 1891. It also saw the coronation of indigenous Miskito kings, and attached to it is the country's oldest cemetery, Yarborough Cemetery. Outside you see brick walls, arched windows with timber shutters and a square battlemented tower, with grass and trees around the church and a historic site sign. The arched door shows how thick the old walls are. Inside it is fitted out in mahogany and sapodilla, and it has seen many alterations in later renovations. It is about a kilometre in a straight line from the Museum of Belize and pairs with Baron Bliss Lighthouse on a short daytime tour. Read current travel advice before visiting Belize City, keep to well known areas and use a licensed taxi. This is a place of worship, so enter quietly and dress modestly, and respect services. Opening times may change, so ask when you arrive.