"Parliament Square and Rawson Square" Parliament Square Tip by grandmaR

If you take a tour taxi from the cruise ship docks, you will likely go through or by Parliament Square. The buildings in Parliament Square were constructed in 1815 by the Loyalists and are excellent examples of the colonial architecture of old Nassau. This is where most of the government buildings can be found. They are pink.

The building to the right is the House of Assembly where parliamentary meetings are held. The Senate meets upstairs in the center building and the building to the left houses the office of the Leader of the Opposition. Queen Victoria’s Statue is in the front of the Senate building. Located at the back of the Senate building is the Supreme Court which occupied this present building since 1921. This is where quarterly sessions of the Bahamas Superior Court and sessions of The Court of Appeal sit. Judges and lawyers are dressed in traditional British wigs and robes. When we went through we saw prisoners who could not make bail being delivered from the jail to stand trial.

Visiting the square is free

Our taxi driver told us an amusing story about Sir Milo Butler (the first black Governor General) when we passed his statue in Rawson Square. Supposedly he offered a large acreage to anyone who married any of his daughters who were big (as in tall) girls. Only two men took him up on it.

There's also a big monument to Sir George Henry Gamblin, Kt., M. E. C., M. L. C.

Directions: Downtown Nassau
Phone: (242) 302-2000
Website: http://www.bahamasnationalarchives.bs/Governors/Governors%20General/Gov_BahamianGovernors_GovernorGeneral_01_MiloButler2temp.htm