La Savane
Encyclopedia
La Savane is a 12½ acre park
located on the Fort-de-France Bay
in Martinique
. It was formerly known as Jardin du Roi (garden of the king) and its first purpose is said to have been to harbour scientific experiments on plants that were new to the colony at that time.
The park has no fence. Its Caribbean gardens face Fort Saint-Louis (formerly known as Fort Royal) on the east side. On the west side the park borders the Bibliothèque Schoelcher (or Schoelcher Library), a Romanesque-Byzantine building initially part of the Paris Exposition of 1889
, dismantled, shipped to Martinique and re-built in Fort-de-France. La Savane is home to a statue of Josephine Tascher de La Pagerie, born on the island on 23 June 1763, later known as Josephine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon and Empress of France
. The Carrara marble statue, created by Vital Dubray, was vandalized and is now missing its head. The park also shelters a tiny colorful market offering exotic items, souvenirs and snacks.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
located on the Fort-de-France Bay
Fort-de-France Bay
Fort-de-France Bay is a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Martinique. It is named after Martinique's capital, Fort-de-France, the chief town on the bay....
in Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. It was formerly known as Jardin du Roi (garden of the king) and its first purpose is said to have been to harbour scientific experiments on plants that were new to the colony at that time.
The park has no fence. Its Caribbean gardens face Fort Saint-Louis (formerly known as Fort Royal) on the east side. On the west side the park borders the Bibliothèque Schoelcher (or Schoelcher Library), a Romanesque-Byzantine building initially part of the Paris Exposition of 1889
Exposition Universelle (1889)
The Exposition Universelle of 1889 was a World's Fair held in Paris, France from 6 May to 31 October 1889.It was held during the year of the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, an event traditionally considered as the symbol for the beginning of the French Revolution...
, dismantled, shipped to Martinique and re-built in Fort-de-France. La Savane is home to a statue of Josephine Tascher de La Pagerie, born on the island on 23 June 1763, later known as Josephine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon and Empress of France
Joséphine de Beauharnais
Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoléon Bonaparte, and thus the first Empress of the French. Her first husband Alexandre de Beauharnais had been guillotined during the Reign of Terror, and she had been imprisoned in the Carmes prison until her release five days after Alexandre's...
. The Carrara marble statue, created by Vital Dubray, was vandalized and is now missing its head. The park also shelters a tiny colorful market offering exotic items, souvenirs and snacks.