- Type
- Ruin
- Built
- c. 1805 · 19th century
- Location
- Nord, Haiti
- Commissioned by
- Henri Christophe
- Heritage
- UNESCO World Heritage List
- Coordinates
- 19.5736°, -72.2439°
History
Work on the fortress on a peak above the town of Milot began soon after Haiti declared independence in 1804, on the orders of Henri Christophe, one of the leaders of the revolution. It was meant to protect the young nation from an expected French invasion that never came. Construction lasted well over a decade and took the labour of thousands of workers who hauled stone and heavy guns up the mountain. Christophe, crowned King Henri I in 1811, took his own life in 1820 and was buried in the citadel's courtyard. An earthquake damaged the fortress in 1842, and in 1982 it was inscribed by UNESCO together with the nearby Sans-Souci Palace.
What to see
You reach the summit on foot or on horseback up a steep path from Milot, passing the ruins of Sans-Souci Palace on the way. The massive walls, shaped like the prow of a ship, enclose batteries, storerooms and barracks, while the courtyards hold piles of cannonballs and dozens of guns from many countries. The citadel contains Henri Christophe's tomb, and its walls look out over the whole Northern Plain to Cap-Haïtien and the sea.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q206194
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