The garrison sits around a large open space called the Savannah, which was once used for military drills and parades. Today the Savannah is a popular park where Barbadians jog, fly kites, and watch horse racing. It is one of the oldest horse-racing venues in the Western Hemisphere.
Around the edges of the Savannah you can see buildings dating back several centuries, including the Main Guard with its striking clock tower, and old barracks that have been turned into a museum. Old cannons still point out towards the sea, just as they did long ago.
The Garrison Historic Area was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2011, together with the old centre of Bridgetown. This recognition celebrates the island's remarkable architecture and the way it has looked after these old buildings so carefully over so many years.