From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article lists the oldest known surviving buildings constructed in the Americas , including on each of the regions and within each country.
"Building " is defined as any human-made structure used or interface for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy . In order to qualify for this list a structure must:
be a recognisable building;
incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height;
be largely complete or include building work to this height for most of its perimeter.
contains an enclosed area with at least one entry point.
Building
Image
Location
Country or territory
First built
Use
Notes
Palace of the Governors
Santa Fe
United States
1610–1618
Palace
Oldest extant building in the contiguous United States .[ 42]
King's Castle
St. George's Parish
Bermuda
1612
Fortification
Ruined King's Castle ("Queen's Castle" during the reigns of Queens Anne and Victoria, and also called "Seaward Fort" ) on Castle Island (including its Captain's house, the oldest surviving dwelling house in Bermuda). Oldest extant building in Bermuda.[ 43]
Iglesia de San Francisco
Santiago
Chile
1618
Church
Oldest extant building in Chile.[ 44]
State House
St. George's Town
Bermuda
1620
House of Assembly
The State House was the first purpose-built home of the House of Assembly , which then constituted the only chamber of the Parliament of Bermuda . Other than fortifications, it was Bermuda's first stone building. It is the oldest surviving Bermudian building, again excepting some fortifications (St. Peter's Church was established in 1612, but rebuilt several times and its oldest parts are thought to date from the 1620s), and has been used since 1815 as a Masonic lodge.
St. Peter's Church
St. George's Town
Bermuda
1620s (established 1612)
Church
Oldest Protestant church in the "New World" (the Americas and certain Atlantic islands such as Bermuda). St. Peter's Church was the first of nine Parish churches established in Bermuda by the Church of England . It was originally built in 1612, but rebuilt several times and its oldest parts today are thought to date from the 1620s. The House of Assembly of Bermuda met in the church pending completion of the State House.
Carr's Bay Gun Battery
Little Bay
Montserrat
1624
Fortification
Oldest extant building in Montserrat.
Fort Amsterdam
Philipsburg
Sint Maarten
1631
Fortification
Oldest extant building in Sint Maarten and on the island of Saint Martin .
Fort Amsterdam
Willemstad
Curaçao
1634
Fortification
Oldest extant building in Curaçao. Founded by the Dutch West India Company .[ 45]
Fort Oranje
Kralendijk
Bonaire
1639
Fortification
Oldest extant building in Bonaire.[ 46]
Latouche House [fr ]
Le Carbet
Martinique
c. 1640
Residence
Oldest building in Martinique. In ruins.[ 47] Located within the Martinique Zoo.[ 48]
Ursulines of Quebec
Quebec City , Quebec
Canada
1641–1642
Monastery
Oldest extant building in Canada . Oldest institution of learning for women in North America .[ 49]
St. Thomas' Lowland Church
Saint Thomas Lowland Parish
Saint Kitts and Nevis
1643
Church
Oldest extant building in Saint Kitts and Nevis.[ 50]
Biblioteca Palafoxiana
Puebla City
Mexico
1646–1773
Library
First and oldest public library in the Americas.[ 51] [ 52] [ 53]
Drax Hall
Saint George
Barbados
1650s
Residence
Possibly the oldest extant building in Barbados.[ 54]
Fort Zeelandia
Paramaribo
Suriname
1651
Fortification
Oldest extant building in Suriname.[ 55]
St Nicholas Abbey
Saint Peter
Barbados
1658
Residence
Oldest extant building in Barbados with a verifiable date of construction.[ 56]
Fort Morgan Cay
Roatán
Honduras
1667
Fortification
Oldest building of european origin in the Bay Islands in ruins.
Fort Christian
Charlotte Amelie
U.S. Virgin Islands
1672–1680
Fortification
Oldest extant building in the United States Virgin Islands.
Castillo de San Marcos
St. Augustine, Florida
United States
1672–1695
Fortification
Oldest extant masonry fortification in the contiguous United States.
White Horse Tavern
Newport , Rhode Island
United States
1673
Tavern
Oldest extant tavern in the Americas.[ 57]
Iglesia de la Merced
Panama City
Panama
1680
Church
Oldest extant building in Panama .[ 58]
Halse Hall
Clarendon Parish
Jamaica
1680
Residence
Oldest extant building in Jamaica.[ 59] [ 60]
St. Ignatius Church
Buenos Aires
Argentina
1686-1722
Church
Oldest extant building in Argentina.
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