A mountaintop fortress of independence
The Citadelle Laferrière crowns a mountain summit near Milot in northern Haiti, one of the largest fortresses in the Americas. It was built in the early 1800s by Henri Christophe, a leader of the revolution who later declared himself king, to defend the newly independent nation against a French return. Its massive walls still hold rows of cannon. At the foot of the mountain lie the ruins of Sans-Souci Palace, Christophe's royal residence. Together they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the National History Park.