List of oldest buildings in the Americas

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This article lists the oldest known surviving buildings constructed in the Americas, including on each of the regions and within each country. "Building" is defined as any human-made structure used or interface for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy. In order to qualify for this list a structure must:

  • be a recognisable building;
  • incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height;
  • be largely complete or include building work to this height for most of its perimeter.
  • contains an enclosed area with at least one entry point.

Pre-Columbian era

Building Image Location Country or territory First built Use Notes
Sechin Bajo Sechin casma valley.JPG Áncash  Peru 3500 BCE Administrative-ceremonial center A large archaeological site with ruins dating from 3500 BCE to 1300 BCE.[1]
Pyramids of Caral Caral-Supe in Peru.jpg Lima  Peru 2600 BCE Temples and houses Built by the Caral civilization, these pyramids predate the Egyptian pyramids by around 100 years.[2]
Los Naranjos 120px Yojoa  Honduras 2000 BCE Temples Oldest man built structures still surviving in Honduras constructed by ancestors of the Lencan people.[3]
Kotosh 120px Huánuco  Peru 1800 BCE Temple Archaeological site consisting of buildings with six periods of continuous occupation.[4]
La Venta La Venta Pirámide cara norte.jpg Tabasco  Mexico 1700 BCE Temples Oldest structures in the state of Tabasco Mexico.
El Chilcal 120px La Paz  Honduras 1400 BCE Ceremonial center Pyramids of the pre-Classic period built by the Lencan people.
Garagay 120px Lima  Peru 1400 BCE Temples One of the largest centers of pre-Columbian culture on Peru's central coast.[5]
Yucuita Yucuito.jpg Oaxaca  Mexico 1300 BCE Ceremonial center and a square Founded by the Mixtec civilization in the pre-Classic Period[6]
San José Mogote San Jose Mogote Pyramid.jpg Oaxaca  Mexico 1300 BCE Town San José Mogote was the largest and most important Zapotec settlement in the Valley of Oaxaca during the Early and Middle Formative periods.|[7]
Chavín de Huantar 120px Áncash  Peru 1200 BCE Religious center Occupation at Chavín de Huántar by the Chavín people has been carbon dated to at least 3000 BCE.[8]
Garðar Cathedral Ruins 120px Igaliku  Greenland 1126 CE Church Oldest extant building of European origin in North America.[9]

16th century

Building Image Location Country or territory First built Use Notes
Casa del Cordón 120px Santo Domingo  Dominican Republic 1502–1503 Isabelline Gothic house Oldest European stone house in the Americas and probably the first European two-story house.[10][11][12]
Remaining sections of the Santo Domingo City Walls 120px Santo Domingo  Dominican Republic 1502–1508 Fortification Oldest military construction of European origin in the Americas.[13][14]
Hospital San Nicolás de Bari 120px Santo Domingo  Dominican Republic 1503 Hospital Oldest hospital in the Americas. In ruins.[13][15]
Monasterio de San Francisco 120px Santo Domingo  Dominican Republic 1509–1560 Monastery Oldest monastery in the Americas.[13]
Church and Convent of los Dominicos 120px Santo Domingo  Dominican Republic 1510-1532 Convent and University Oldest Catholic building in continuous use in the Americas, and also, it was the headquarters of the first university in the Americas.[16][17]
Basilica Cathedral of Santa María la Menor 120px Santo Domingo  Dominican Republic 1514-1541 Cathedral First and oldest cathedral in the Americas.[18][13]
Palace of Cortés Cuernavaca Palacio Cortes.JPG Cuernavaca  Mexico 1523–1528 Palace Oldest extant colonial-era civil structure in the continental Americas.[19][20]
Church of San José San José Catholic Church - San Juan.jpg San Juan  Puerto Rico 1532–1735 Church Oldest extant building in the United States.[21][22]
La Fortaleza La Fortaleza Viejo San Juan.jpg San Juan  Puerto Rico 1533-1540 Official residence Oldest official residence in the Americas.[23]
Iglesia de Balbanera 120px Cajabamba  Ecuador 1534 Church Oldest extant building in Ecuador.
Iglesia de La Merced 120px Granada  Nicaragua 1534 Church Oldest extant building in Nicaragua.[24]
Church of Saints Cosme and Damião 120px Igarassu  Brazil 1535 Church Oldest extant building in Brazil.[25]
Cathedral Basilica of Lima 120px Lima  Peru 1535-1649 Cathedral Oldest extant building in Peru.[26]
Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco 120px Mexico City  Mexico 1536 College First and oldest European school of higher learning in the Americas. First major school of interpreters and translators in the Americas.[27][28]
Monasterio de Santo Domingo GT056-Antigua Domingo5.jpeg Guatemala City  Guatemala 1538 Monastery Oldest extant building in Guatemala. In ruins.[29]
Santa Barbara Fortress 120px Trujillo  Honduras 1550-1553 Fortification Oldest military construcction of european origin in american mainland.[30]
Iglesia de San Francisco 120px Bogotá  Colombia 1557–1566 Church Oldest extant building in Colombia.[31]
Castillo de la Real Fuerza CastillodelaFuerza.jpg Havana  Cuba 1558–1577 Fortification Oldest extant building in Cuba.
Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre 120px Sucre  Bolivia 1559-1712 Cathedral Oldest extant building in Bolivia.[32]
La Merced Church 120px Comayagua  Honduras 1550-1561 Church Oldest church still standing in Honduras[33]
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción 120px Izalco  El Salvador 1569 Church Oldest extant building in El Salvador. In ruins.[34]
La Asunción Cathedral 120px La Asunción  Venezuela 1571 Cathedral Oldest extant building in Venezuela.[35]
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción Iglesia Inmaculada Concepcion Ujarras.jpg Ujarrás  Costa Rica 1580s Church Oldest extant building in Costa Rica. Partially restored.[36][37]

17th century

Building Image Location Country or territory First built Use Notes
Palace of the Governors NewMexicoPalaceSantaFe.jpg Santa Fe  United States 1610–1618 Palace Oldest extant building in the contiguous United States.[38]
King's Castle
File:PSM V60 D034 Ruined fort on castle island bermuda.png
 St. George's Parish  Bermuda 1612 Fortification Ruined King's Castle ("Queen's Castle" during the reigns of Queens Anne and Victoria, and also called "Seaward Fort") on Castle Island (including its Captain's house, the oldest surviving dwelling house in Bermuda). Oldest extant building in Bermuda.[39]
Iglesia de San Francisco 120px Santiago  Chile 1618 Church Oldest extant building in Chile.[40]
State House
State House- 1620 - St Geo - Bermuda.jpg
 St. George's Town  Bermuda 1620 House of Assembly The State House was the first purpose-built home of the House of Assembly, which then constituted the only chamber of the Parliament of Bermuda. Other than fortifications, it was Bermuda's first stone building. It is the oldest surviving Bermudian building, again excepting some fortifications (St. Peter's Church was established in 1612, but rebuilt several times and its oldest parts are thought to date from the 1620s), and has been used since 1815 as a Masonic lodge.
St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church, Bermuda, Front.jpg
 St. George's Town  Bermuda 1620s (established 1612) Church Oldest Protestant church in the "New World" (the Americas and certain Atlantic islands such as Bermuda). St. Peter's Church was the first of nine Parish churches established in Bermuda by the Church of England. It was originally built in 1612, but rebuilt several times and its oldest parts today are thought to date from the 1620s. The House of Assembly of Bermuda met in the church pending completion of the State House.
Carr's Bay Gun Battery 120px Little Bay  Montserrat 1624 Fortification Oldest extant building in Montserrat.
Fort Amsterdam 120px Philipsburg  Sint Maarten 1631 Fortification Oldest extant building in Sint Maarten and on the island of Saint Martin.
Fort Amsterdam 120px Willemstad  Curaçao 1634 Fortification Oldest extant building in Curaçao. Founded by the Dutch West India Company.[41]
Immaculate Conception Cathedral CatedraldeComayagua.jpg Comayagua  Honduras 1634–1715 Cathedral Oldest cathedral still standing in Honduras.[42][43]
Fort Oranje 120px Kralendijk  Bonaire 1639 Fortification Oldest extant building in Bonaire.[44]
Latouche House (fr) 120px Le Carbet  Martinique c. 1640 Residence Oldest building in Martinique. In ruins.[45] Located within the Martinique Zoo.[46]
Ursulines of Quebec 120px Quebec City, Quebec  Canada 1641–1642 Monastery Oldest extant building in Canada. Oldest institution of learning for women in North America.[47]
St. Thomas' Lowland Church Saint Thomas Lowland Parish  Saint Kitts and Nevis 1643 Church Oldest extant building in Saint Kitts and Nevis.[48]
Biblioteca Palafoxiana BIBLIOTECA PALAFOXIANA.tif Puebla City  Mexico 1646–1773 Library First and oldest public library in the Americas.[49][50][51]
Drax Hall Saint George  Barbados 1650s Residence Possibly the oldest extant building in Barbados.[52]
Fort Zeelandia 120px Paramaribo  Suriname 1651 Fortification Oldest extant building in Suriname.[53]
St Nicholas Abbey 120px Saint Peter  Barbados 1658 Residence Oldest extant building in Barbados with a verifiable date of construction.[54]
Fort Christian USVI St. Thomas Charlotte Amalie Fort Christian.JPG Charlotte Amelie  U.S. Virgin Islands 1672–1680 Fortification Oldest extant building in the United States Virgin Islands.
Castillo de San Marcos Castillo de San Marcos.jpg St. Augustine, Florida  United States 1672–1695 Fortification Oldest extant masonry fortification in the United States.
White Horse Tavern 120px Newport, Rhode Island  United States 1673 Tavern Oldest extant tavern in the Americas.[55]
Iglesia de la Merced 120px Panama City  Panama 1680 Church Oldest extant building in Panama.[56]
Halse Hall Clarendon Parish  Jamaica 1680 Residence Oldest extant building in Jamaica.[57][58]
St. Ignatius Church 120px Buenos Aires  Argentina 1686-1722 Church Oldest extant building in Argentina.

18th century

Building Image Location Country or territory First built Use Notes
Grenada National Museum 120px St. George's  Grenada 1704 Fortification Oldest extant building in Grenada. Served as a French barracks, British women's prison, hotel, warehouse, and is currently a museum.[59][60]
Mount Carmel House (fr) Saint-Claude  Guadeloupe 1726 Residence Oldest extant building in Guadeloupe.[61]
Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue 120px Willemstad  Curaçao 1730 Synagogue Oldest extant synagogue in the Americas.[62]
Fort Saint-Joseph Fort Saint Joseph - Fort Liberte (Looking South).jpg Fort-Liberté  Haiti 1735–1743 Fortification Oldest extant building in Haiti.[63]
Fort Montagu 120px Nassau  Bahamas 1741–1742 Fortification Oldest extant building in the Bahamas.[64]
Fort Zeelandia 120px Essequibo Islands-West Demerara  Guyana 1743 Fortification Oldest extant building in Guyana. In ruins.[65] Fort Kyk-Over-Al is older (built in 1616) but no longer fits the definition of a building.
French Guiana Prefecture Building 120px Cayenne  French Guiana 1749–1752 Monastery Oldest extant building in French Guiana. Currently serves as the seat of the Prefect of French Guiana.[66]
Court House 120px St. John's  Antigua and Barbuda 1750 Courthouse Oldest extant building in Antigua and Barbuda.[67]
Viola House 120px Asunción  Paraguay 1750–1758 Residence Oldest extant building in Paraguay.
Sambro Island Light 120px Sambro Island, Nova Scotia  Canada 1758 Lighthouse Oldest extant lighthouse in the Americas.[68]
Fort James 120px Plymouth  Trinidad and Tobago 1762 Fortification Oldest extant building in Trinidad and Tobago.[69]
Sandy Hook Light 120px Sandy Hook, New Jersey  United States 1764 Lighthouse Oldest extant lighthouse in the United States.[70]
Fort Young Fort Young Hotel.jpg Roseau  Dominica 1770 Fortification Oldest extant building in Dominica. Partially converted to a hotel in 1964.[71][72]
Fort Rodney 120px Pigeon Island  Saint Lucia 1779–1782 Fortification Oldest extant building in Saint Lucia.[73]
Pedro St. James Castle Pedro St. James Castle Restored.jpg Grand Cayman  Cayman Islands 1780 Residence Oldest extant building in the Cayman Islands. Restored in 1996.[74]
Governors' House 120px Gustavia  Saint Barthélemy 1780 Residence Oldest extant building in Saint Barthélemy. Originally a private residence, it became the Governors' House of Saint Barthélemy in 1785.
Wallblake House Wallblake House, The Valley.jpg The Valley  Anguilla 1787 Residence Oldest extant building in Anguilla.[75]
Fort Louis 120px Marigot  Saint Martin 1789 Fortification Oldest extant building in Saint Martin.
Wade's Green Plantation North Caicos  Turks and Caicos Islands 1789 Residence Oldest extant building on the Turks and Caicos Islands. In ruins.[76][77]
Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral 120px Montevideo  Uruguay 1790–1804 Cathedral Oldest extant building in Uruguay.
Fort Zoutman 120px Oranjestad  Aruba 1796–1798 Fortification Oldest extant building in Aruba. Founded by the Dutch West India Company.
House of Assembly 120px Kingstown  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1798 Parliament Oldest extant building in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.[78]

19th century

Building Image Location Country or territory First built Use Notes
Russian-American Magazin 120px Kodiak  United States 1805–1808 General store Oldest extant building of Russian origin in the Americas.[79]
St. John's Cathedral 120px Belize City  Belize 1812–1820 Cathedral Oldest extant building in Belize.
Central Stores 120px Stanley  Falkland Islands 1844 General store Oldest extant building in the Falkland Islands.[80]
Our Lady of Ardilliers Church 120px Miquelon-Langlade  Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1862–1865 Church Oldest extant building in Saint Pierre and Miquelon.[81][82]

See also

References

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  32. ↑ World Heritage Sites Unesco 2009 "The first capital of Bolivia, its early wealth came from mining activities, but it soon also became a major cultural centre, ... The impressive Metropolitan Cathedral was begun in 1559 but not completely finished until 250 years later."
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