travel > Destinations > caribbean > Antigua and Barbuda > Nelsons Dockyard National Park

Nelsons Dockyard National Park

TIME : 2016/2/20 17:08:38
Nelson's Dockyard National Park

Nelson's Dockyard National Park

One of the best historical sites Antigua has to offer, Nelson's Dockyard National Park has been at the center of Antigua's activity since the first settlers arrived there in 500 BC. Today, however, the centerpiece of the park is the actual dockyard itself, originally developed as a base for the British Navy in 1725. It is the only Georgian dockyard that still exists in the world. Named for Horatio Nelson, famed commander of the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, the dockyard is home to old navy ships and numerous historical artifacts.
Be sure to visit the Dockyard Museum, which offers a full history of the English Harbour and the people who toiled there throughout the years. No visit is complete without also checking out the park's many restored colonial-era buildings, which served the sailors and officers who occupied the harbour during 18th and 19th centuries. Some of the buildings have been preserved to reflect their original historic purpose, while others now contain shops and restaurants.