Georgetown is the chief port, capital and largest city of Guyana, situated at the mouth of the Demerara Estuary,
Today, most buildings are still wooden with a unique architectural style that dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries, consisting of Demerara shutters and fretwork trim around eaves and windows.
Despite its position on the coast of South America, Georgetown is inherently Caribbean in feel, and many of the sights illustrate the city’s colourful and eventful history. Main Street has several fine examples of old colonial homes, including the green and white State House, built in 1852, which is set in large, lush gardens. Demerara Harbour Bridge, the longest floating bridge in the world, connects the east and west banks of the Demerara River.
Georgetown has a number of interesting sights that can be easily included in a half day city tour. These include St. George’s Cathedral (famed as one of the world’s tallest free-standing wooden structures), the Public Library in the Carnegie Building, the splendid gothic Town Hall, Victoria Law Courts and St. Andrew's Kirk, the oldest surviving church in the country. The famous Stabroek Market, once described as "a bizarre bazaar", contains every conceivable item from household goods and gold jewellery to fresh meat and vegetables. The clock tower can be seen for miles around, and is the city’s most famous landmark. In addition, the National Museum contains exhibits on local animal life and heritage, and the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology explains Amerindian history and culture.
No trip to Georgetown would be complete without a visit to the Botanical Gardens and Zoo. The Botanical Gardens house one of the most extensive collections of tropical flora in the Caribbean and are laid out with ponds, canals, kissing bridges and a bandstand. The zoo contains more than 100 species of Guyanese wildlife, including a wide variety of tropical fish and birds.
Cheddi Jagan International Airport is located 41 kilometres i.e. around one hour’s drive from Georgetown, but the smaller Ogle Airport, which is used principally for domestic flights, is only 10 kilometres from the centre.
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