Cap-Haïtien
Encyclopedia
Cap-Haïtien is a city of about 190,000 people on the north coast of Haiti
and capital of the Department of Nord. Previously, named as Cap-Français, Cap-Henri, and le Caps, it was an important city during the colonial period, serving as the capital of the French Colony of Saint-Domingue
from the city`s formal foundation in 1711 until 1770 when the capital was moved to Port-au-Prince
, and was also the first capital of the Kingdom of Northern Haiti under King Henri Christophe
. One of the first Spanish towns on Hispaniola, Puerto Real, was founded near here in 1503; abandoned in 1578, its ruins were discovered in 1975.
Cap-Haïtien's distance from Haïti's capital, Port-au-Prince, combined with the dire condition of Haïti's transportation infrastructure, has often made Cap-Haïtien an incubator for revolutionary or anti-Government figures. On February 5–29, 2004, the city was taken over by militants who opposed to the rule of Haïtian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide
, forcing him out from the country.
The central area of the city is located between the Bay of Cap-Haïtien to the east, and nearby mountainsides to the west, which are increasingly dominated by flimsy urban slums. The streets are generally narrow and arranged in grids. As a legacy of the United States occupation of Haïti from 1915–1934, Cap-Haïtien's north-south streets were renamed as single letters (beginning with Rue A, a major avenue), and its east-west streets with numbers. This system breaks down outside of the central city, which is itself dominated by numerous markets, churches, and low-rise apartment buildings (3–4 floors each) constructed primarily before and during the U.S. occupation. Many such buildings have balconies on the upper floors which overlook the narrow streets below, creating an intimate communal atmosphere during the Haitian dinner hours.
Cap-Haïtien is the city of the historic Haïtian town of Milot, which lies 12 miles to the southwest along a gravel road. Milot was Haïti's first site capital under the self-proclaimed King Henri Christophe
, who ascended to power in 1807, three years after Haïti had gained independence from France, renaming the city as Cap-Henri. As a result, Milot hosts the ruins of the Sans-Souci Palace
, wrecked by the 1842 earthquake, as well as the Citadelle Laferrière
, a massive stone fortress bristling with cannons. The Citadelle is located five miles from Milot, atop a nearby mountain. On clear days, its silhouette is visible from Cap-Haïtien.
The small Cap-Haïtien International Airport
, located on the southeast edge of the city, is currently served by several small domestic airlines and is patrolled by Chile
an UN troops. The city hosts several hundred UN personnel as part of the ongoing United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
. Cap-Haïtien has, in general, also seen greater foreign tourist activity than much of Haiti, due to its isolation from political instability. Cap-Haïtien is also unique for its French colonial architecture, which has been uniquely well preserved. After the Haitian Revolution
, many craftsmen from Cap-Haïtien fled to French-controlled New Orleans, as a result, the two cities share many similarities in styles of architecture. Especially notable are the many gingerbread houses lining the city's older streets.
beach resort compound is located six miles to the city's northwest, and has served as a brief stopover for Royal Caribbean
cruise ships. Today, major Royal Caribbean Cruise ships, including the largest and most luxurious (Oasis of the Seas), dock weekly at Labadie. It is a private resort leased by Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean International has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on the premises, and paying the Haitian government US$6 per tourist. The resort is connected to Cap-Haïtien by a mountainous dirt and gravel road. RCI has built a pier at Labadie capable of servicing the Oasis class ships, completed in late 2009, no longer requiring passengers to be tendered from anchored ships.
Attractions include a Haitian flea market
, numerous beaches, watersports, a water-oriented playground, and the popular zip-line
.
- the last and defining battle of the Haitian Revolution
. On November 18, 1803, Haitian army led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines
defeated a French colonial army led by the Comte de Rochambeau
, leading to the independence of Haïti.
It is also the site that made Capois La Mort famous for his bravery. In the last battle for the Independence he survived all the French bullets that nearly killed him; his horse was killed under him and his hat fell off but he kept on marching on the French while screaming "En avant!" which means "Let's go forward". As a result, the independent Republic of Haiti was proclaimed on 1 January 1804. 18 November has been widely celebrated since then as a Day of Army and Victory in Haiti.
or, Citadelle Henri Christophe, or simply the Citadelle, is a large mountaintop fortress located approximately 17 miles (27.4 km) south of the city of Cap-Haïtien and five miles (8 km) beyond the town of Milot. It is the largest fortress in the Americas and was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site
in 1982—along with the nearby Sans-Souci Palace
. The Citadel was built by Henri Christophe
, a leader during the Haitian slave rebellion and subsequently King of Northern Haiti, after the country gained its independence from France at the beginning of the 19th century.
. Ten thousand people were killed. It has been estimated that its magnitude was 8.1.
which destroyed port facilities in Port-au-Prince, the Port international du Cap-Haïtien
was being used to deliver relief supplies.
Since the city in general was not as affected in is infrastructure as Port-au-Prince, former Port-au-Prince businessmen and many people have moved to Cap Haitian.
Little damage have been reported as consequence of the 2010 earthquake, such as the collapse of a school classroom that killed 4 children and injured one.
, Haiti's second busiest airport. It is a hub for Salsa d'haiti
.
and Gonaïves
.
The Route Nationale#3 also connects Cap-Haïtien with Port-au-Prince via the Plateau Central and the cities of Mirebalais
and Hinche
.
Cap-Haïtien has one of the best grid systems in Haiti with its north-south streets were renamed as single letters (beginning with Rue A, a major avenue), and its east-west streets with numbers.
The Boulevard du Cap-Haitian is Cap-Haïtien main boulevard
that runs along the Atlantic Ocean in the north.
.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and capital of the Department of Nord. Previously, named as Cap-Français, Cap-Henri, and le Caps, it was an important city during the colonial period, serving as the capital of the French Colony of Saint-Domingue
Saint-Domingue
The labour for these plantations was provided by an estimated 790,000 African slaves . Between 1764 and 1771, the average annual importation of slaves varied between 10,000-15,000; by 1786 it was about 28,000, and from 1787 onward, the colony received more than 40,000 slaves a year...
from the city`s formal foundation in 1711 until 1770 when the capital was moved to Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, and was also the first capital of the Kingdom of Northern Haiti under King Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe was a key leader in the Haitian Revolution, winning independence from France in 1804. On 17 February 1807, after the creation of a separate nation in the north, Christophe was elected President of the State of Haiti...
. One of the first Spanish towns on Hispaniola, Puerto Real, was founded near here in 1503; abandoned in 1578, its ruins were discovered in 1975.
Cap-Haïtien's distance from Haïti's capital, Port-au-Prince, combined with the dire condition of Haïti's transportation infrastructure, has often made Cap-Haïtien an incubator for revolutionary or anti-Government figures. On February 5–29, 2004, the city was taken over by militants who opposed to the rule of Haïtian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
, forcing him out from the country.
The central area of the city is located between the Bay of Cap-Haïtien to the east, and nearby mountainsides to the west, which are increasingly dominated by flimsy urban slums. The streets are generally narrow and arranged in grids. As a legacy of the United States occupation of Haïti from 1915–1934, Cap-Haïtien's north-south streets were renamed as single letters (beginning with Rue A, a major avenue), and its east-west streets with numbers. This system breaks down outside of the central city, which is itself dominated by numerous markets, churches, and low-rise apartment buildings (3–4 floors each) constructed primarily before and during the U.S. occupation. Many such buildings have balconies on the upper floors which overlook the narrow streets below, creating an intimate communal atmosphere during the Haitian dinner hours.
Cap-Haïtien is the city of the historic Haïtian town of Milot, which lies 12 miles to the southwest along a gravel road. Milot was Haïti's first site capital under the self-proclaimed King Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe was a key leader in the Haitian Revolution, winning independence from France in 1804. On 17 February 1807, after the creation of a separate nation in the north, Christophe was elected President of the State of Haiti...
, who ascended to power in 1807, three years after Haïti had gained independence from France, renaming the city as Cap-Henri. As a result, Milot hosts the ruins of the Sans-Souci Palace
Sans-Souci Palace
The Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I of Haiti, Queen Marie-Louise and their two daughters. It was the most important of nine palaces built by the king, as well as fifteen châteaux, numerous forts, and sprawling summer homes on his twenty plantations. Construction of the...
, wrecked by the 1842 earthquake, as well as the Citadelle Laferrière
Citadelle Laferrière
The Citadelle Laferrière or, Citadelle Henry Christophe, or simply the Citadelle , is a large mountaintop fortress in northern Haiti, approximately south of the city of Cap-Haïtien and five miles uphill from the town of Milot...
, a massive stone fortress bristling with cannons. The Citadelle is located five miles from Milot, atop a nearby mountain. On clear days, its silhouette is visible from Cap-Haïtien.
The small Cap-Haïtien International Airport
Cap-Haitien International Airport
Cap-Haïtien International Airport is an airport serving Cap-Haïtien, a city in the Nord department in Haiti. It is the second largest airport in Haiti....
, located on the southeast edge of the city, is currently served by several small domestic airlines and is patrolled by Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an UN troops. The city hosts several hundred UN personnel as part of the ongoing United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
Economy
Cap-Haïtien is known as the nation's largest center of Historic monuments and Tourism Finance. Its calm water and picturesque Caribbean beaches and its Citadelle Laferrière, A UNESCO World Heritage Site, have made it a resort and vacation destination for Haïti's upper classes, comparable to PétionvillePétionville
Pétion-Ville is a commune and a suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in the hills east and separate of the city itself on the northern hills of the Massif de la Selle. It was named after Alexandre Sabès Pétion , the Haitian general and president later recognized as one of the country's four founding...
. Cap-Haïtien has, in general, also seen greater foreign tourist activity than much of Haiti, due to its isolation from political instability. Cap-Haïtien is also unique for its French colonial architecture, which has been uniquely well preserved. After the Haitian Revolution
Haitian Revolution
The Haitian Revolution was a period of conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which culminated in the elimination of slavery there and the founding of the Haitian republic...
, many craftsmen from Cap-Haïtien fled to French-controlled New Orleans, as a result, the two cities share many similarities in styles of architecture. Especially notable are the many gingerbread houses lining the city's older streets.
Labadie
The walled LabadieLabadee
Labadee is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti. It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean International has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on...
beach resort compound is located six miles to the city's northwest, and has served as a brief stopover for Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a Norwegian / American company based in Miami, Florida. It is the world's second-largest cruise line operator, after Carnival Corporation & PLC. As of March 2009, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd...
cruise ships. Today, major Royal Caribbean Cruise ships, including the largest and most luxurious (Oasis of the Seas), dock weekly at Labadie. It is a private resort leased by Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean International has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on the premises, and paying the Haitian government US$6 per tourist. The resort is connected to Cap-Haïtien by a mountainous dirt and gravel road. RCI has built a pier at Labadie capable of servicing the Oasis class ships, completed in late 2009, no longer requiring passengers to be tendered from anchored ships.
Attractions include a Haitian flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
, numerous beaches, watersports, a water-oriented playground, and the popular zip-line
Zip-line
A zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline...
.
Vertières
Vertières is the site of the Battle of VertièresBattle of Vertières
The Battle of Vertières , the last major battle of the Second War of Haitian Independence, the final part of the Haitian Revolution under François Capois. It was fought between Haitian rebels and French expeditionary forces on 18 November 1803 at Vertières...
- the last and defining battle of the Haitian Revolution
Haitian Revolution
The Haitian Revolution was a period of conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which culminated in the elimination of slavery there and the founding of the Haitian republic...
. On November 18, 1803, Haitian army led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Jean-Jacques Dessalines was a leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti under the 1801 constitution. Initially regarded as Governor-General, Dessalines later named himself Emperor Jacques I of Haiti...
defeated a French colonial army led by the Comte de Rochambeau
Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur, vicomte de Rochambeau
Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur, vicomte de Rochambeau was a French soldier, the son of Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau....
, leading to the independence of Haïti.
It is also the site that made Capois La Mort famous for his bravery. In the last battle for the Independence he survived all the French bullets that nearly killed him; his horse was killed under him and his hat fell off but he kept on marching on the French while screaming "En avant!" which means "Let's go forward". As a result, the independent Republic of Haiti was proclaimed on 1 January 1804. 18 November has been widely celebrated since then as a Day of Army and Victory in Haiti.
Citadelle Laferrière
The Citadelle LaferrièreCitadelle Laferrière
The Citadelle Laferrière or, Citadelle Henry Christophe, or simply the Citadelle , is a large mountaintop fortress in northern Haiti, approximately south of the city of Cap-Haïtien and five miles uphill from the town of Milot...
or, Citadelle Henri Christophe, or simply the Citadelle, is a large mountaintop fortress located approximately 17 miles (27.4 km) south of the city of Cap-Haïtien and five miles (8 km) beyond the town of Milot. It is the largest fortress in the Americas and was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1982—along with the nearby Sans-Souci Palace
Sans-Souci Palace
The Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I of Haiti, Queen Marie-Louise and their two daughters. It was the most important of nine palaces built by the king, as well as fifteen châteaux, numerous forts, and sprawling summer homes on his twenty plantations. Construction of the...
. The Citadel was built by Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe
Henri Christophe was a key leader in the Haitian Revolution, winning independence from France in 1804. On 17 February 1807, after the creation of a separate nation in the north, Christophe was elected President of the State of Haiti...
, a leader during the Haitian slave rebellion and subsequently King of Northern Haiti, after the country gained its independence from France at the beginning of the 19th century.
1842 Cap-Haïtien earthquake
On 7 May 1842, an earthquake destroyed most of the city and other towns in the north of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Among the buildings destroyed are significantly damaged was the Sans-Souci PalaceSans-Souci Palace
The Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I of Haiti, Queen Marie-Louise and their two daughters. It was the most important of nine palaces built by the king, as well as fifteen châteaux, numerous forts, and sprawling summer homes on his twenty plantations. Construction of the...
. Ten thousand people were killed. It has been estimated that its magnitude was 8.1.
2010 Haiti earthquake
In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
which destroyed port facilities in Port-au-Prince, the Port international du Cap-Haïtien
Port international du Cap-Haitien
The Port international du Cap-Haïtien is the seaport in Cap-Haïtien Haiti's second largest city.It is operated by the government port authority Autorite Portuaire Nationale APN.- Facilities :Two access channels leading to the Port:...
was being used to deliver relief supplies.
Since the city in general was not as affected in is infrastructure as Port-au-Prince, former Port-au-Prince businessmen and many people have moved to Cap Haitian.
Little damage have been reported as consequence of the 2010 earthquake, such as the collapse of a school classroom that killed 4 children and injured one.
Airports
Cap-Haïtien is served by the Cap-Haïtien International AirportCap-Haitien International Airport
Cap-Haïtien International Airport is an airport serving Cap-Haïtien, a city in the Nord department in Haiti. It is the second largest airport in Haiti....
, Haiti's second busiest airport. It is a hub for Salsa d'haiti
Salsa d'Haiti
SALSA d'Haiti is a Haitian airline headquartered at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It flies several round trip flights daily between Cap-Haitien and Port-au-Prince....
.
Roads
The Route Nationale#1 connects Cap-Haïtien with the Haitian capital city Port-au-Prince via the cities of Saint-MarcSaint-Marc
Saint-Marc is a coastal port town in western Haiti in the Artibonite Department. Its geographic coordinates are . At the 2003 Census the municipality had 160,181 inhabitants....
and Gonaïves
Gonaïves
Gonaïves is a city in northern Haiti, the capital of the Artibonite Department. It has a population of about 104,825 people . The city's name derives from the original Amerindian name of Gonaibo. It is also known as Haïti's "independence city"...
.
The Route Nationale#3 also connects Cap-Haïtien with Port-au-Prince via the Plateau Central and the cities of Mirebalais
Mirebalais
Mirebalais is a town in Centre Department, Haïti, approximately 60 km northeast of Port-au-Prince on National Road 3. The city was established in 1703....
and Hinche
Hinche
Hinche is a city in central Haiti. It has a population of about 50,000. It is the capital of Centre department. Hinche is the hometown of Charlemagne Péralte, the Haitian nationalist leader who resisted the United States occupation of Haïti .-Culture:The majority of the population are of African...
.
Cap-Haïtien has one of the best grid systems in Haiti with its north-south streets were renamed as single letters (beginning with Rue A, a major avenue), and its east-west streets with numbers.
The Boulevard du Cap-Haitian is Cap-Haïtien main boulevard
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
that runs along the Atlantic Ocean in the north.
Higher education
A union of 4 Congregational Church private schools have been present for two decades in Cap-Haïtien. They are considered as higher education establishment the mainstream framework of the public school system. also known as École Normale Supérieure outside, The term is most commonly used to refer of academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitismElitism
Elitism is the belief or attitude that some individuals, who form an elite — a select group of people with intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most...
.
- Collège Notre-Dame du Perpetuel Secours des Pères de Sainte-Croix
- Collège Regina Assumpta des Sœurs de Sainte-Croix
- École des Frères de l'instruction Chrétienne
- École Saint Joseph de Cluny des Sœurs Anne-Marie Javoue
Notable natives
- Tyrone EdmondTyrone EdmondTyrone Edmond is a Haitian-born model.-Early life:In Haiti, Edmond lived a difficult childhood, struggling day-to-day in a highly impoverished situation in the shantytowns of Cap-Haïtien and Port-au-Prince, where he grew up...
, Haitian-born model. - Fred Joseph Jr, Haitian-born philanthropist. Founder and President of Help Us Save Us Non-Profit Organization. Help Us Save Us
- Mathias PierreMathias PierreMathias Pierre is a Haitian entrepreneur.A writer, an entrepreneur, a public figure—call it what you may, Mathias Pierre is a role model for Haitian society whose written and spoken word has inspired thousands and served as a source of light, hope, and motivation...
, entrepreneur
Television
- Télé Vénus
- Télé Paradis
- Chaîne 6
- Chaîne 7
- Chaîne 11
- Télé Capoise Ch 8
- Télévision Nationale d'Haiti
Media
- Radyo Atlantik, 92.5 FM
- Radio 4VEH (4VEF), 840 AM
- Radio 4VEH, 94.7 FM
- Radio 7 FM, 92.7
- Radio Cap-Haïtien
- Radio Citadelle
- Radio Étincelle
- Radio Gamma, 99.7 (based in Fort-Liberté)
- Radio Lumière, 98.1 FM
- Radio Méga,103.7 FM
- Radio Sans-Souci FM, 106.9
- Radio VASCO, 93.7 FM
- Radio Vénus FM
- Sans Souci FM, 106.9
- Voix de l'Ave Maria
- Voix du Nord
- Radio Paradis
- Radio Nirvana, 97.3 FM
- Radio Hispaniola
- Radio Passion Haïti
External links
- Cap Haitien Haiti
- short article - Columbia encyclopedia
- The Louverture Project: Cap Haïtien - Article from Haitian history wiki.
- http://ramoolive.blogspot.com/