St. George's

St. George's

St. George's is the capital of Grenada. It is surrounded by the hills of an old volcanic crater and is situated on a horseshoe shaped harbor. The town is a popular tourist destination in the Caribbean, and it has been developing in recent years while still preserving its history, culture, and natural environment. St. George's University School of Medicine and the Maurice Bishop International Airport are located in the parish. The success of spice production is ensured by a temperate tropical climate. Nutmeg is one of the most important crops, followed by cocoa, mace, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Saint George`s was founded by the French in 1650 when La Grenade was settled by Jacques Diel du Parquet, the governor of Martinique. The French began colonizing the island by skirmishing with the indigenous Caribbeans, virtually wiping them out. On a promontory overlooking Grenada's natural harbor, French colonists built a wooden fortification called Fort Royale in 1666. In 1705, work began on a new star-shaped fort with four stone bastions on the same site. It was designed by Jean de Giou de Caylus, the chief engineer of the "Islands of America", the French West Indies. Its completion date was 1710. The town is famous for its Carnival, which is held during the second week of August. The emancipation of the slaves is celebrated during this festival. The festivities begin on Sunday night and last into the early hours of Monday morning. On Monday, costumes, themes and calypso queens are judged in a carnival pageant on the stage in Queen's Park. On Tuesday, St. George's comes alive to the sounds of the calypso steel bands as they make their way through the town streets.