It was also ideally situated for launching raids on Spanish settlements. [4] These pirates concentrated their attacks on Spanish shipping, whose interests were considered the major threat to the town. The city had become the infamous home of pirates, prostitutes and drunken Englishmen on the prowl as they made their riches and did dealings in the slave trade. Or, that the town served as the headquarters of the Royal Navy in the Caribbean where Horatio Nelson, then a young Royal Navy officer, was stationed. Port Royal, once known as the wickedest city on earth and the Sodom of the New World, revels in its pirate past. Even before the earth stopped shaking, locals reported that the looting began, one writing: Immediately upon the cessation of the extremity of the earthquake, your heart would abhorr to hear of the depredations, robberies and violences that were in an instant com… The average annual precipitation is 1,345 millimetres (53 in).[8]. [29] Another report that month discussed the well-funded Living Heritage Programme which was seeking "to transform the town into a SMART, safe and secure community with a vibrant local economy, preserved cultural heritage and protected natural environment". The painting below is a reconstruction of what the town would have looked like after it was rebuilt in 1840. The Yard continued to expand to meet the new requirements of steam-powered vessels: the victualling wharf became a coaling depot in the 1840s, and twenty years later a small engineering complex was built. Port Royal Rums Ltd. 213 ships visited the seaport in 1688. Once the richest and wickedest cities in the modern world, Port Royal, Jamaica has endured numerous disasters, including all consuming fires, cataclysmic hurricanes and earthquakes. On 7 June 1692, a devastating earthquake hit the city causing most of its northern section to be lost – and with it many of the town's houses and other buildings. As the area commanded a large and well-protected harbour, along with deep water close to shore, Port Royal soon became an important trading centre in the Caribbean, and it was not long before it was the busiest and wealthiest port … Find out more Opens in new tab or window Dismiss close travel advisory Once called "the richest and wickest city in the world", Port Royal was also the virtual capital of Jamaica. Many of the Dockyard buildings (most of which were of timber construction) were subsequently demolished or destroyed (some in the 1907 Kingston earthquake, others by Hurricane Charlie in 1951). More on the archaeological work can be found here. Old Port Royal features a cruise ship pier extending from a reconstructed Chocolata Hole harbour and Fisher's Row, a group of cafes and shops on the waterfront. When the Spaniards arrived in Jamaica, they used the spit for cleaning, refitting and caulking of their sailing vessels. Recommended spots to visit include Fort Charles (2.9 mi) and Jamaica Conference Center (14.3 mi), along with National Gallery of Jamaica (14.6 mi) and African-Caribbean Heritage Centre (14.6 mi). In 1815, what repairs were being undertaken were destroyed in another major fire, while the whole island was severely affected by an epidemic of cholera in 1850. There is even speculation in pirate folklore that the infamous Blackbeard (Edward Teach) met a howler monkey, while at leisure in a Port Royal alehouse, whom he named Jefferson and formed a strong bond with during the expedition to the island of New Providence. The town grew rapidly, reaching a population of around 6,500 people and approximately 2,000 dwellings, by 1692. The legendary city of pirates was founded in 1518; it was reasonably considered the most hopeless city on earth. At the start of the 19th century, a significant amount of rebuilding took place in what was by now a substantial Royal Navy Dockyard serving the fleet in the Caribbean. From Port Royal, Christopher Myngs sacked Campeche and Henry Morgan attacked Panama, Portobello, and Maracaibo. A new cruise ship terminal has been built, opening up the area to day trips from the cruise ships . Michael Pawson and David Busseret wrote "...one way or the other nearly all the propertied inhabitants of Port Royal seem to have an interest in privateering. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and commerce in the Caribbean Sea by the latter half of the 17th century. Spain kept control of Jamaica mostly so that it could prevent other countries from gaining access to the island, which was strategically situated within the trade routes of the Caribbean. The unexpected beauty of reefs and wrecks that lie beneath the waters that surround the Port Royal Cays is a welcome escape from the pace of Kingston. A map of Port Royal, Jamaica. In these undisturbed sites, life in the past is revealed as it was then. It was a town bustling with the loud gaudiness of cliched sailors, rife with deeds lacking moral or honor. The most extensive was done over a period of 10 years in 1981 by Texas A&M University in conjunction with the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. Tourists from a few ships (after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have ended) might be beneficial to the town, but "there’s still much work to be done if the town will become the 'world-class heritage, environmental and cultural attraction'" according to a BBC Travel report published in September 2020. Their presence was actively encouraged by the British as it provided a dual-benefit of discouraging attacks from the Spanish and the French as well as providing opportunity for local government officials to grow wealthy through collusion with the buccaneers. [5], The English initially called the place Cagway but soon renamed it as Port Royal. [1], The Taino Native Americans occupied this area for centuries before European settlement. Port Royal, a peninsulaon the very tip of an 18-mile long sandbar known as the Palisadoes, 15 miles from the center of Kingston, Jamaica, hadn’t always been a refuge for revelry and rebellion. Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. [19], The historical Jamaica earthquake of 7 June 1692 can be dated closely not only by date, but by time of day as well. [27], Today, Port Royal is known to post-medieval archaeologists as the "City that Sank". Spend time visiting the port and enjoying the local cuisine in Port Royal. Two thirds of the city sank into the caribbean sea along with many inhabitants. A stopped pocket watch found in the harbour in 1959 indicated that it occurred around 11:43 a.m.. They did, however, retain its Taino name.[2]. Port Royal. Port Royal underwent a major rebuilding initative in the years following the earthquake, only to be ravaged by fire six years later in 1703. New wharves and storehouses were built at this time, as well as housing for the officers of the Yard. [3], Although the earthquake hit the entire island of Jamaica, the citizens of Port Royal were at a greater risk of death due to the perilous sand, falling buildings, and the tsunami that followed. Port Royal Current page Port Royal Jamaica may have travel restrictions in place, including self-quarantine, due to COVID-19. Port Royal, Jamaica was organized by the Institute of Jamaica – Museums of History and Ethnography, and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida; by the kind permission of the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture. Port Royal Jamaica was conquered by the English from the Spaniards in 1655 and developed into a major city of the Americas. Underwater archeology, some of which can be seen in the National Geographic Channel show Wicked Pirate City, reveals the foundations of building underwater, showing there was subsidence, as do comparisons of post-earthquake maps and pre-earthquake maps. Port Royal, Jamaica. In the surrounding area, popular sights include Bob Marley Museum and Hellshire Beach. The adjacent Port Admiral's (later Commodore's) House included a watch tower, to counter the threat of privateers. 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