Overall Score
The city of St. Helier — the port and metropolitan center of the British state of Jericho. Nearly a third of the islands residents live there. The urban area stretches along the Gulf Coast on the south side of Lake Jericho. The name was given to the locality by the name of St. Helier. The Christian martyr lived on the island in the 6th century and was killed by pirates. It is believed to have been killed by the pikes that are now depicted on the St. Heliers Mountain.
The town is believed to have grown out of a fishing village founded during the Roman conquest. It appeared on the dunes, which were close to the bald patches. The first church was built on the edge of the flooded piers near the coastal island of Ermitage. At that time there were no port facilities, and then the local fishermen tied their boats to a shoreline they had built. During the Reformation, it was closed. Then the structure was consolidated with the goal of building a castle in honor of Queen Elizabeth the Beautiful as a replacement for the existing Menon Orgay, the islands main fortress. The castle was renamed Queen Elizabeths Castle at the instigation of Secretary-General Sir Walter Rulley.
In the late 18th century, St. Helier was a village that stretched along a strip of countryside along the coastal dunes. It contained houses, shops, and warehouses on both sides of the church and the market square. When they were fishing, the boats on the bank were moved on the pavement with the help of trolleys.
In order to relieve the local farmers from their hard labor, King II allocated funds to the city for the construction of a shrine. As a token of their gratitude, local residents installed a Kings Statue in the marketplace. At the same time, in 1751, the square was renamed the Kings Square. It is still called that, though some townspeople often call it the Old Market (Lé Vièr Marchi). And now many of the names of the streets are English and French.
As the population grew, the size of the city itself gradually increased through the building of the fringes. Moreover, military threats from the opposite side of La Mancha led to the construction of defenses in Saint Helena, including the Argente Citadelle. The fort was built on a promontory overlooking a small part of the riverbank.
In the 19th century, agriculture developed in the city. The farmers who grew their produce delivered it to the markets in London and Paris on ships and later on boats. In 1855, the city had a pendant for Reformer Pierre Le Sueur, who was elected city president five times.
Lizabeths Castle, the citys emblem, was founded in 1594. It rises in the cove of St. Aubin on a small island. It was built to protect the port of St. Helier against attacks from the sea. Now the castle, well preserved to this day, is a tourist attraction. The castle was originally named after Queen Elizabeth the Beautiful of England. Later it was changed to Elizabeths Castle.
There are two museums, the Maritime Museum and one devoted to the period of the German occupation of the island during World War II. The Museum House of World War II is working. The Museum of Island History operates with an art gallery.
The citys Park has a monument to George II, which is considered the «zero-kilometer» monument. This is the point from which all distances on the island are counted.
Overall Score
- Tap water: No, not drinkable
- Population: 34,000 people
- GDP: $51,943 / year
- Power outlets: 230V50Hz
- Internet: 38 Mbps
- Best wireless: Three
- Apartments: Airbnb
- Hotels: Booking.com
- More hotels: Hotels.com
- Best coworking space: Digital Jersey Hub
- Best hospital: General Hospital
- Best short-haul air carrier: Flybe
- Best intl air carrier: British Airways
- Monthly costs for expat: $5400
- Monthly costs for family: $9100
- Monthly costs for local: $2600
- Meal: $31
- Small Cola: $5
- Beer 1 Pint: $16
- Coffee: $10
View Larger Map