Port Royal Poised for UNESCO World Heritage Status This July

Kingston, Jamaica – Port Royal, once infamously dubbed “the richest and wickedest city in the world,” is on the verge of earning one of the highest recognitions for cultural and historical significance: inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The announcement was made by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, during a floral tribute to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the birth of former Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

“I proudly report today that I’ve received the good news from the World Heritage Centre that the evaluation team has recommended our nomination of Port Royal for inscription on the World Heritage List in July of this year,” said Grange.

The nominated site, titled “The Archaeological Landscape of 17th Century Port Royal”, would become Jamaica’s second entry on the prestigious list, joining the Blue and John Crow Mountains, which received World Heritage status in 2015.

Port Royal was once a bustling hub of commerce and piracy in the 1600s, a key port for European powers and privateers alike. At its peak, it was the most important trading post in the Caribbean and was said to rival any city in the Western Hemisphere in terms of wealth—and notoriety. But on June 7, 1692, a devastating earthquake sent two-thirds of the city plunging into the sea, preserving much of it beneath the waves. The submerged ruins today serve as a time capsule of 17th-century life.

Minister Grange noted that the pending World Heritage designation is a significant cultural achievement for Jamaica. “This is another win for Jamaica and a moment of pride that I know Mr Seaga would have celebrated,” she said, referencing the former prime minister’s push in the 1980s to nominate three Jamaican sites—Port Royal among them—for UNESCO recognition.

The anticipated designation is expected to boost Jamaica’s cultural tourism significantly, especially when paired with recent developments like the Port Royal Cruise Ship Pier. Grange emphasized that the recognition will not only honor Jamaica’s rich history but also present new economic and educational opportunities for the country.

As the world awaits UNESCO’s final decision in July, Jamaicans are celebrating the legacy of a town that has endured disaster, preserved its heritage, and continues to captivate imaginations worldwide.