The only fully restored historical structure in town is the sturdy Old Gaol House, made of cut stone, on Gaol Alley. It predates the 1692 earthquake, when it served as a women’s jail, and has since survived a host of disasters, including 14 hurricanes and two major fires.
Old Gaol House
Kingston, Blue Mountains & the Southeast Coast
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.6 MILES
The superlative collection of Jamaican art housed by the National Gallery is the finest on the island and should on no account be missed. As well as…
18.84 MILES
Highest of the highlights, Blue Mountain Peak reaches 2256m above sea level, and no visit to the area should neglect a predawn hike to its summit for a…
29.48 MILES
The idyllic waterfall and swimming hole of Nanny Falls is a 30-minute walk uphill from the end of Moore Town, passing under huge ferns, Jamaican apple…
6.94 MILES
The large, creaky, colonial-era wooden house on Hope Rd, where Bob Marley lived and recorded from 1975 until his death in 1981, is the city’s most-visited…
6.26 MILES
This beautiful colonial house was built in 1881 by George Stiebel, the first black millionaire in Jamaica. Antique lovers will enjoy the guided tour,…
4.32 MILES
An innovative art and permaculture scheme, Life Yard is regenerating an area of downtown Kingston once beset with gang problems. The program is centered…
4.03 MILES
At the end of a tree-lined courtyard, decorated with cheerful mosaics and a mural depicting Marcus Garvey, stands Liberty Hall, the headquarters of Garvey…
0.24 MILES
Jamaica’s latitude and longitude are measured from the flagstaff of Fort Charles, a weathered redoubt originally laid in 1655, and the only one of the…
Nearby Kingston, Blue Mountains & the Southeast Coast attractions
0.1 MILES
Built in 1725 of red brick, this church is handsome within, despite its faux brick facade of cement. Note the floor paved with original black-and-white…
0.23 MILES
Behind the old garrison wall off New St stands the dilapidated two-story Old Naval Hospital, built by Bowling Ironworks in Bradford, UK, shipped to Port…
0.24 MILES
Jamaica’s latitude and longitude are measured from the flagstaff of Fort Charles, a weathered redoubt originally laid in 1655, and the only one of the…
0.76 MILES
Less than 1km east of the dockyard and enclosed by a brick wall is the intriguing naval cemetery, where sailors lie buried beneath shady palms. The…
1.95 MILES
The idyllic Lime Cay is one of half a dozen or so uninhabited, white sand–rimmed coral cays about 3km offshore from Port Royal. Immortalized in the final…
6. African-Caribbean Heritage Centre & Jamaica Memory Bank
3.58 MILES
Presided over by the Institute of Jamaica, the Heritage Centre houses an extensive library dedicated to the history of the Middle Passage and the African…
7. National Gallery of Jamaica
3.6 MILES
The superlative collection of Jamaican art housed by the National Gallery is the finest on the island and should on no account be missed. As well as…
3.62 MILES
This controversial bronze statue depicting a crouched black man breaking free from bondage is the work of Jamaica’s foremost sculptor, the late Edna…