Citadelle Laferrière
Haiti · Nord · 900 m
Description
The Citadelle stands on a peak at nine hundred metres and is the largest fortress in the Americas, built by Henri Christophe after independence against a French return that never came. Twenty thousand people worked on it for fifteen years. Its walls reach forty metres, and hundreds of cannon taken from the colonial forts still sit in the galleries with pyramids of iron shot beside them. Below at Milot lie the ruins of the Sans-Souci palace he built as his court. UNESCO listed both in 1982. The last stretch is walked or ridden on horseback.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: December – April
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Citadelle Laferrière
- Sans-Souci palace ruins at Milot
- Cannon galleries and the shot pyramids
- Climb or ride up from Milot
- View over the northern plain from the ramparts
- Ramiers site behind the citadel
- Chapel of Milot below the palace
- Craft stalls on the approach path
Getting there
- Nearest airports:
- CAP