2 Best Sights in Belize City, Belize

On Albert Street's south end is the oldest Anglican church in Central America and the only one outside England where kings were invested. From 1815 to 1845, four kings of the Mosquito Kingdom (a British protectorate along the coast of Honduras and Nicaragua) were crowned here. The cathedral, built of brick brought here to what once was British Honduras as ballast on English ships, is thought to be the oldest surviving building in Belize from the colonial era. Its foundation stone was laid in 1812. Inside, it has whitewashed walls and mahogany pews. The roof is constructed of local sapodilla wood, with mahogany beams. Residents of the city usually refer to the cathedral as simply "St. John's."

You can combine a visit to the cathedral with a visit to the House of Culture, as they are just across the street from each other. The street itself is safe to visit during day; we recommend taking a taxi to and from, no matter what the time of day.

As its name suggests, the bridge spanning Haulover Creek in the middle of Belize City actually swings. When needed to allow a boat through or by special request of visiting dignitaries, four men hand-winch the bridge a quarter-revolution so waiting boats can continue upstream. (When it was the only bridge in town, this snarled traffic for blocks; the opening of three other upstream bridges has eased that pressure.) The bridge, made in England, opened in 1923; it was renovated and upgraded in 1999. Outsiders' recommendations to automate the swing mechanics or—heaven forbid—rebuild the bridge entirely are always immediately rejected. No one wants to eliminate the city’s most unusual landmark. Before the Swing Bridge arrived, cattle were "hauled over" the creek in a barge. The bridge appears in a scene of a little-remembered 1980 movie The Dogs of War, set in a fictitious African country but mostly filmed in Belize.