St. Peter's Church

Before the colonialists came to Bermuda, life flourished here. There were small settlements, churches, and markets. But a lot has changed during the new Epoque. It affected religious life.

In 1612, the first Christian church appeared on the island. It was a wooden structure, and its roof was covered with thatch. It was small size and could accommodate no more than 10-20 people. For almost a century, the Anglican church existed in this form. In 1713, the stone St. Peter's Church was built in its place. Today, it is the oldest Protestant church, not only in Hamilton but throughout the New World.

The facade of the building could be hardly called very attractive. But people tried not to create a beautiful building but establish a place where believers could gather. So, the architects worked a lot on the interior.

To get to the temple, you need to climb the stairs, and then you discover the uniqueness of this place. Inside the church, there is a furniture of the 17th century. It impresses with its beauty and grace. There are also ancient frescoes. And the ceiling is made of thick wooden rails, which was not usual for European churches.

Around the church, people established cemeteries. One of them was made for famous residents of the city, their relatives and close friends. The second one served as a burial place for ordinary workers and slaves. Such a strict separation existed for many centuries, to the abolition of racial segregation in the 1960s.

In 2012, people celebrated 400 years since the founding of St. Peter's Church in Bermuda. This date coincided with the anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. So, the queen gave the church the title of Her Majesty’s Chapel.