Buildings of Belize

One of the interesting things you’ll see as you tour unBelizeable Belize is our architecture.  Most structures are concrete due to threat of hurricane, but i must say i’m continually astonished what can be accomplished.  The photo above is of the pool, deck and river at Mahogany Hall in Cayo.  I was looking for more achitecture photos, but i dont have any.  If you have some, send along! Be happy to share them…  now, where’s that camera…

the following is from the BTB website 🙂

Architecture

Belize is an eclectic and eccentric mix of architectural styles reflective of all phases of the country’s history combined with the practical configurations to suit the tropical climate and the more recent glass steel and concrete compositions of the 21st century.

In the absence of zoning regulations it is not uncommon to encounter modern glass and steel office building standing beside a 19th century colonial wooden home and flanked by one room home on stilts.  Similarly, throughout the country one will see a combination of thatched houses side by side with a recently build concrete home with corrugated aluminum roof.

Colonial
Belize City is the original settlement of the Baymen and a stroll down Regent Street, the Southern Foreshore or Fort St. will provide a glimpse at the colonial buildings of the past. Some of these have been renovated as residences or guesthouses while maintaining much of the original design. The largest example of this architecture is the former residence of British governors before Independence.  “Government House” in south side Belize City has been renovated and is now The House of Culture the venue for cultural exhibits and events.
While not the traditional wooden colonial architecture, an interesting visit is the Museum of Belize, in Belize City – a brick fortress which was once Her Majesty’s prison and now houses exquisite artifacts and national treasures from the past.

Churches
A major highlight in Belize’s architecture may be the extraordinary churches that exist throughout the country. These brick, stained-glass, wood and white marl buildings- some dating back to the 1800’s – can be found throughout the country and many hold fascinating tales surrounding their design and construction. Some of these churches include:

• Sacred Heart Church, in San Ignacio Town
• 110 year old church in San Roman, Corozal District
• St. John’s Cathedral and Holy Redeemer in Belize City
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Benue Viejo Town
• built from remnants of a Maya Temple in San Antonio Toledo

Tropical
Throughout the country, the most common type of architecture is the wooden house on stilts with simple wooden shutters and 2 verandas – one of the front entrance where visitors can be entertained and one at near the kitchen for easy access to the laundry lines in the backyard, or to the water pipe at the corner of the yard for filling buckets of fresh water.   Even at sizes ranging in dimension from 18’ x 20’ to 24’ x 36’, most of these houses have at least two small bedrooms and an open kitchen/dining/living area, divided to ensure that the prevailing trade winds make it to every room in the house.

The shade under the house serves as additional living space to entertain friends, wash clothes, hang a hammock or store materials for house additions and repairs.  The houses may be brightly painted, or not but are usually a hive of activity with the radio blaring, dogs barking, children playing and colorful laundry floating in the breeze.

Rural
Thatching a house so that it is waterproof and lasts for years takes knowledge and skill passed down through generations.  Much sought after by the new luxury jungle and beach resort, the skilled Maya tradesmen of the villages but the Bay leaves at full moon to ensure its durability.  Throughout the villages in rural areas the traditional one-room Maya homes are evident with intricately thatched roofs planked siding and rough shuttered windows and doors.  Each day floors of compacted mud are carefully swept with brush and any holes repaired and smoothed out with a paste of mud and water.

Spanish
Bungalow type houses with arched doorway and colorful gardens are more typically found in the northern and western areas of Belize and are similar in nature to those found in Mexico.

Belize Modern
Historical is the new modern and this is evident in the architecture of the government buildings in Belmopan and the more recently built Central Bank complex in Belize City.   Both are designed along the lines of the ancient Maya temples scattered amongst the rainforest. In recognition of Belize’s natural attributes there is also the increasing presence of outdoor accents adorning houses and gardens such as toucans, Maya sun gods, tropical flowers and marine motifs such as fishes and sea horses – crafted of ceramic, wood, or natural-occurring materials.