Fort-de-France is the capital of Martinique and the largest city on the island. There are many interesting monuments here, including the old fortifications and the cathedral designed by Gustav Eiffel.
Since the arrival of the French in Martinique, their settlement has been concentrated on the west coast of the island. Fort Royale was established here, which was fortified and was the main administrative center. In the nineteenth century, the city experienced many natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes and a great fire, but it was rebuilt and today as Fort-de-France is the main center of the island.
One of the highlights of Fort-de-France is the amazing St. Louis. Due to the risk of earthquakes, it was designed as a shock-resistant metal skeleton enclosed by walls. The creator of the structure was Gustav Eiffel, who became famous after the construction of the Paris tower, the symbol of the world exhibition. Today, the cathedral impresses with its structure and beautiful interior.
The most important places in Fort-de-France are also the local forts of Saint Louis, Desaix, Tertenson and Gerbault. The building of the Schoelcher Library, built in an oriental style, is also beautiful. A place for a picturesque walk is the Balata Gardens presenting the tropical vegetation of the island.
