National Heroes Park occupies the site of what was once Kingston's main racecourse — a 25-hectare green space in the heart of the city, now dominated by memorials to Jamaica's seven National Heroes. The park holds the tombs of Norman Manley, Alexander Bustamante, Marcus Garvey, Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, and others — all figures whose stories map the trajectory of Jamaican history from slavery through colonialism to independence.
The park is less visited than it deserves to be. It functions as a public green space during weekdays, used by local office workers and families, and the memorials are accessible and well-maintained. The scale of the place — wide avenues, mature trees, the sense of space unusual in Downtown Kingston — makes it a good place to orient yourself in the city's history before visiting the more concentrated sites of the waterfront and the National Gallery.