The dutch ruled this country in the 18th century from a settlement they had established on 3 islands on the Demerara River.

In 1753 they declared the 2nd island their capital and named it Borsselen.

A signal station for the purpose of observing and controlling incoming and outgoing sea traffic was established at the mouth of the Demerara River in 1748.

The station was named Fort St. George by the British who made it their capital after they had forced the Dutch settlement to surrender in 1781.

French defeat of the British in 1782 did not change the location of the capital. The French Commander ordered two forts built to defend the colony. One on the eastern bank of the Demerara River was named Le Dauphin and was situated at the site currently known as Eve Leary. The other fort was named La Reine and was located on the western bank.

On 5th May 1812 the British conquered the Dutch once more and named the retaken city Georgetown.

Historical Facts About Guyana

Umana Yana: Constructed in 1792 by the Wai Wai Indians of Konashen, primarily for a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of non aligned nations, the Umana Yana (the meeting place) is an authentic example of the ability of nature to provide shelter.

State House: Constructed in the 1980s, this grand and elegant house situated on Main Street has been home to successive governors, governor generals and presidents. Dr. Cheddi Jagan residented here during his term of Presidency.

St. George's Cathedral: Completed in 1894, this building stands 145 feet tall, and is reputed to be the tallest wooden building in the world. Today it is one of Guyana's most famous landmarks.

The Victoria Law Court: Now the Supreme Court, this building was opened on May 24th 1887, the birthday and jubilee year of Queen Victoria. Her statue stands all the front of the Court. The top floor is designed in the Elizabethan style.

City Hall: Built in 1889 this imposing expression of Gothic architecture is now the place of business of the Mayor and City Council. It is situated at the corners of Regent Street and Avenue of the Republic.

Stabroek Market: Built entirely of cast iron in 1792, this market has a famous clock tower, visible for great distances. Part of this market is supported on Greenheart pillars and overhang the Demerara River.

St. Andrew's Kirk: Opened in 1818 this building has the title of the oldest, most continuously used place of worshiped in Guyana. The church represents a joint venture between the Scots and the Dutch.

Parliament Buildings: This building, built circa 1830s, stands on a Greenheart raft foundation. The coffered ceiling in the Parliament Chamber was designed by Cesar Castellani, architect of some Guyana's most enduringly beautiful buildings.
    This seat of government in Guyana was built of stone. On the grounds of Parliament Building can be found two guns from the Crimean War and the statue of the father of the Trade Union movement, Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow.

The Seawalls: Designed by the Dutch and built by the British, the Government Seawall is a famous historical and social landmark. The Sunday evening stroll along the seawall is a tradition that goes back many decades.

The Botanical Gardens: 27 blocks of the vlissingen backlands was bought for a sum of $72,000 and converted into the Botanical Gardens. The site was originally meant to be a habitat for wildlife and Mr. Jenman a botanist, supervised the layout of the floral landscape which has undergone several changes since the original concept was implemented.

    The Guyana Zoo is housed in the Botanical Gardens.

    Extending over 100 acres these gardens are reputed to be the largest in the Caribbean. A variety of plants, birds and animals inhabit the gardens which, for many years, have been a favourite trysting place for lovers. Plans are in train to expand the Botcanical gardens to a Biodiversity Park.

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception: Often referred to as Brickdam Cathedral, this building dates back to 1992. It is an imposing landmark in the heart of the city, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Guyana.

Historical Sites.

Chateua Margot: Only a chimney now stands to mark the spot of the once thriving plantation. This chimney serves as a beacon for fishermen at sea, and the land surrounding the base is used as a dumpsite for scrap iron.

Fort Nassau: Some 56 miles up the Berbice River stand the ruins of Forth Nassua, once the capital of Dutch Berbice. The Fort was destroyed by the Dutch themselves in the 18th century during one of the great slave uprisings.

Kyk-Over-Al: This was the first Dutch Fort built in Guyana, erected possibly as early as 1616. It was also named see-Over-Al because of its commanding position at the confluence of the Essequibo, Mazaruni and Cayuni rivers.

Fort Zeelandia: Situated on Fort Island, also known as Flag island, this fort is one of the better preserved relics of the Dutch presence in Guyana. The fort was the seat of the Dutch government in Essequibo and was the main military garrison.
 

Areas of Special Interest

Kanuku Mountains: The Kanunku Mountains divide the Rupunini Savannah's into North and South Savannah's, and support a large proportion of Guyana's Biodiversity. The Mountains are also home to the Harpy Eagle, one of our many endangered species of wildlife.

Almond Beach: This 90 mile stretch of Shell Beach is located along the Guyana's North Western Coast. Almond Beach and Shell Beach is home to the Scarlet ibis and four of the world's eight species of Marine Turtles- The Olive Ridley, Leatherback, Hawksbill and Green Turtle.

Iwokrama: After the Iwokrama Mountain range, this area extends over 360,000 hectares. It is the site of International Rainforest Program which is designed to demonstrate methods of conserving and sustainable utilising tropical forest resources.

Yarowkabra Nature Trails: Operated by the Guyana Forestry Commission, Yarowkabra on the Linden Highway comprises 11 acres of forest. The site offers both relaxation with education in siviculture.

Museums and Libraries

Guyana National Museum: Situated in North Road in the hearth of the city's commercial district, this building was established in 1853 by the Royal Agriculture and Commercial Society. This museum is now administered by the government. On the ground floor are displays and depiction's of Guyana's social, cultural and political history. The upper story houses the museums National History collection.

The Walter Roth Museum of Antropology: Located in Main Street this museum was founded in 974 by Dr. Denis Williams. It is dedicated to researching, collecting and conserving artifacts relating to the prehistory of Guyana, as well as disseminating information on Guyana's indigenous people and culture.

National Military Museum: Established in 1985 by the Guyana Defense Force at its Camp Ayaganna Headquarters, this museum displays military reflects and records.

John Campbell Police Museum: Opened in 1993 at the Eve Leary Compound, this museum has five main sections: History, Uniform, Musical Instruments, Photographs and Miscellaneous.

Museum of African Art: Opened in 1994 at its Barima Avenue location, this museum exhibits pieces from West Africa with some 18th and 20th century modern copies of traditional artifacts.

The National Archives: Established in 1958. By law a copy of every document printed and published in Guyana should be lodged with the Archives. There are two branches- One in Company Path which contains newspapers exclusively and the other in Main Street.

The National Library: Constructed in the form of an inverted cross, the National Library was built in 1909 with funding from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The main building stands at the corners of Church and Main Streets. Four other branches are located at Ruimveldt, News Amsterdam, Linden and Corriverton. A mobile unit services remote areas and shut-ins. Services offered are Photocopying, Reader's Advisory, Lending and Reference. Interlibrary loans, Bookmobile Service, Prison Service and a Request Service. Activities include exhibitions, video shows, story telling hours, class visits, summer extensions activities.
 

Famous Waterfalls
 

Kaieteur Falls: A natural Phenomenon that truly defies words. Water from the Potaro River cascades for a sheer drop of 741 feet then continues in spume and mist for another 81 feet down to the Kaieteur gorge. Kaieteur is five times the height of Niagara Falls and so many times more beautiful. The area of the Falls was given protected area status in 1973.

Orinduik Falls: The waters of the Ireng River dance and sparkle over steps of solid jasper to create an engaging sight. While Kaieteur is august and daunting, Orinduik is friendly and inviting.

Marshall Falls: Commonly referred to as Marshall Rapids since the Falls takes the appearance of dangerous rapids in the Mazaruni river. It is believed that the Falls owes its name to a porknocker who was its victim many year ago.

Great falls: 70 Miles from Georgetown stands Great Falls with its five miniature waterfalls. It is one of the most enduringly beautiful of Guyana's attractions.

Performance Centers
 

National Culture Centre: Built in 1976 this is Guyana's largest and most modern performance centre. It is usually heavily booked throughout the year for dramatic, musical, and other performances, both local and overseas artistes. The Cultural Centre is situated at the corners of Mandela and Homestretch Avenues.
Telephone  63845, 62161.

The Theater Guild: This is Guyana's oldest standing theater, also known as the Kingston Playhouse. Before the construction of the larger National Cultural Centre in the Theater Guild saw the performance of a wide repertoire of dramatic productions. Today it is still the stage for some plays and poetry readings.
Telephone: 54033

The Dharmic Sanskritik Kendra: Opened on 5th May 1991 to coincide with Indian Immigration Day. This is a cultural and educational institution which hosts primarily Indian Cultural programs.
Telephone: 72010

African Cultural Development Association: Situated at 7 North Street, Lacytown, this organization was formed to promote African Culture.
Telephone: 58420

Sport Centers
 

Cliff Anderson Sports Hall: Known simply as The Sports Hall for short, this center is named after a prominent Guyanese sports personality. It is a popular venue for basketball, volleyball, boxing and table tennis, as well as for fashion shows. It is situated on Homestretch Avenue.

The Gymnasium: This new indoor facility was constructed with funds from the Government of Venezuela as the latter's contribution to the development of Sport in Guyana. Situated on Mandela Avenue this is also a popular basketball venue for a number of events.

Guysuco Community Center: Guysuco has 8 grinding estates located in the countries of Demerara and Berbice. Each of these boast community centers with are venues for a variety of sports, especially cricket. Guysuco Head Office Telephone: 50726

Anna Regina Sports Complex: Situated at Anna Regina in the Essequibo this sports complex is also the popular venue for a number of sporting and cultural events.

New Amsterdam.

    New Amsterdam is the oldest of the towns with a population of about 30,000 people. It can be found at the mouth of the berbice river in Administrative Region Number 6 on the Low Coastal Plane of the ancient County of Berbice.
    One of the things that will amaze tourist to the town of New Amsterdam is the numerous of churches which can be found along the town's three ,main roads - Republic Road, Main Road and Strand.

Some of New Amsterdam's other attractions include the following:

The female Penitentiary: The town also has the country's only Female Penitentiary.
The Mental Asylum: Like the female Penitentiary, the Mental Asylum is found in New Amsterdam is the only one of its kind in the country.
The Canje Bridge: the Canje Bridge is certainly one of the towns notable attractions. It bridges the Canje Creek.