Sessions House & Jubilee Clock Tower

Sessions House & Jubilee Clock Tower Review

This eye-catching Italianate edifice, erected in 1819, is where the House of Assembly (the lower house of Parliament) and the Supreme Court convene. The Florentine towers and colonnade, decorated with red terra-cotta, were added to the building in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. The Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower made its striking debut—albeit a few years late—at midnight on December 31, 1893. Bermuda's Westminster-style Parliament meets on the second floor, where the speaker rules the roost in a powdered wig and robe. (The island has approximately 14 times as many politicians per capita as Europe or North America, so maintaining order is no small feat.) Sartorial splendor is equally evident downstairs in the Supreme Court, where wigs and robes (red for judges, black for barristers) are again the order of the day. You're welcome to watch the colorful proceedings: bear in mind, though, that visitors, too, are required to wear appropriate attire. Call first to find out when parliamentary sessions and court cases are scheduled.