Originally built in the late 1700s and early 1800s by Loyalists who came from North Carolina to The Bahamas, Parliament Square is a popular attraction in downtown Nassau. Its Colonial-influenced pink buildings include the House of Assembly, the Senate Building and the Supreme Court of The Bahamas—and they are wonderfully symbolic of the past, present, and future of the country.

The House of Assembly

With Nassau as the seat of government for The Bahamas, the Prime Minister and two parliamentary houses—a 38-member House of Assembly (Lower House) and a 16-member Senate (Upper House) meet at the House of Assembly to discuss matters of state. This pink-colored building is to the right side of Parliament Square, so if you’re interested in politics and if the House is in session, you can go inside and watch lawmakers debate from the gallery.

The Senate Building

When not debating with fellow lawmakers in the House of Assembly, the Senate works out of the brightly colored Senate Building, which is in the center of Parliament Square. Directly in front of the Senate Building is a marble statue of Queen Victoria, which was erected on May 24, 1905, in honor of her birthday.

The Supreme Court of the Bahamas

Situated at the back of the Senate building is the Supreme Court of The Bahamas, which dates back to 1921. Here the Bahamas Superior Court holds quarterly sessions (January, April, July, and October), and where the Court of Appeal also sits. As another connection to its historic past, Bahamian judges and lawyers dress in traditional British wigs and robes.