4 things you didn’t know about the Bahamas Parliament building.

The Parliament buildings are consider to be the heart of Downtown Nassau. It is technically the seat where all laws are made that impact the citizens of the Bahamas but also visitors to the archipelagic country. The location has far more to offer than many may know.

Here are five things you probably did not know about the parliament buildings.

Point 1 of things you didn’t know about the Bahamas Parliament Building.

Did you know that the parliament buildings were built by the loyalist between 1790 and 1815 which makes the buildings between 205 – 230 years old as of the year 2020.

The middle building is said to have started at about the same time as the gaol (jail) but being a smaller structure the gaol was completed first.

This is right in line with the oldest house in Nassau now called Balcony House which would be about 232 years old in 2020. This is if its build date is correct as being 1788.

Point 2 of things you didn’t know about the Bahamas Parliament Building

The buildings were designed after buildings in the capitol of North Carolina at the time. This would make sense because the land of the Bahamas, once under British rule was used as gifts to lords and governors that molded the island in a fashion they were accustomed to.

It may not be spoken of much but had the Bahamas become one of the states of the United States during the Civil War the country would have been listed as part of the southern states of America. This is worth looking into.

Point 3

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In present day the center building is where the Senate meets the building to the right is the House of Assembly and the building to the left is said to be the office of the leader of the opposition or the office of the speaker of the house.

Laws are tabled and discuss in the House of Assembly, once voted upon and agreed it goes to the Senate for further discussion before passing as law. These buildings have always been the seat of decisions when it comes to British subject and Bahamian laws.

Point 4

In front of the senate is a marble statue of Queen Victoria, it was placed there in 1905 on the queen’s birthday of May 24. This day was also known as Empire Day.

The statue was carved in the United Kingdom by John Adams-Acton and brought to the Bahamas to be erected.

Bonus point of things you didn’t know about the Bahamas Parliament Building

Rawson square is not just the small area where the parliament buildings are located. The entire square starts at Shirley street and runs northward toward the road at the cruise port.

Within this large area are the Parliament buildings, The Public Library formerly the gaol (jail), former courts, the bust of sir Milo Butler, and various markers and statues.

Do you have any secrets that you have about the parliament buildings? Please leave a comment below