History of Fort George in St. George’s, Grenada - Encircle Photos

5 History of Fort George in St. George’s, Grenada

The French were the first Europeans to successfully colonize the island beginning in 1649. They called it La Grenade. Their main settlement was Fort Royal (today’s Town of St. George’s). During the second half of the 1600s, the colonists regularly battled against the local Caribs. Once the French achieved dominance, they built Fort Royal from 1706 though 1710 to protect the harbor from invasion by other countries. In 1762, the British captured Grenada during the Seven Year’s War. The following year, they assumed official control in the Treaty of Paris. The British renamed the citadel Fort George. This honored King George III who was the United Kingdom’s reigning monarch. The French recaptured the city during the Battle of Grenada in 1779 but then ceded it back to Britain in 1783 under the Treaty of Versailles. Inside the fort is a plaque marking the spot where self-declared prime minister Maurice Bishop and other members of the Marxist New Jewel Movement were executed by a firing squad in 1983. This event led to the four-day invasion of Grenada by the United States. Today, part of Fort George is occupied by the Royal Grenada Police. Tourists flock here to stand on the wall for a panoramic view of the harbor.

VIEW MAP

History of Fort George in St. George’s, Grenada

Fort George, Grand Etang Road, St. George's, Grenada

Directions

Share this Photo