UNESCO Heritage Sites in the Caribbean Islands

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, St. Kitts & St. Lucia await

Nov 1, 2009

Here are the final UNESCO Heritage Sites to be found in the Caribbean. Like those discussed in Part 1 and Part 2, these sites have a long and rich history.

This series of articles about the UNESCO Heritage Sites in the Caribbean started with a look at those in the islands of Belize, Bermuda and Curacao in Part 1. It continued with a visit to the island of Cuba in Part 2. Part 3 now looks at the World Heritage Sites to be found in the islands of Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, St. Kitts and St. Lucia.

Dominica’s World Heritage Site

The Morne Trois Pitons National Park (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997)

Dominica’s first legally established national park was included in the UNESCO list primarily due to its beautiful, diverse plant life and overall landscape. To be found here are waterfalls, rivers and of course volcanoes. The park is evidence of a continuing geo-morphological process according to UNESCO.

There are six distinct vegetation zones within the Morne Trois Pitons National Park.

Dominican Republic’s World Heritage Site

The Colonial Town of Santo Domingo (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997)

Built in 1498, Santo Domingo was to become the model for city building in the new world. Here was built the New World’s first university, cathedral and hospital. The Colonial Town of Santo Domingo is also called by its Spanish name, Zona Colonial of Santo Domingo. This well preserved town within the town of Santo Domingo is home to many 16th century structures, including beautiful homes and churches. Not only do the buildings offer quaint and beautiful evidence of the Americas’ first city, but the cobblestone streets takes one back to a rich and distant past.

The Zone is a living, breathing reminder of Columbus’ arrival in the Caribbean.

Haiti’s World Heritage Site

The National History Park: Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers (added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982)

The National Park is according to UNSECO’s listing, home to three symbols of liberty in Haiti. The Citadel, the Palace of Sans Souci and the buildings at Ramiers were the first monuments created by slaves after they became free. They were constructed when Haiti became a free republic in the early 19th century.

The Citadel is also known as the Citadelle Laferrière and Citadelle Henri Christophe is particularly significant. The mountaintop fortress is the largest in the Western hemisphere. Built by Henri Christophe it was designed to keep French forces at bay after Haiti gained its independence to become the first black republic in the Caribbean in 1803.

Puerto Rico’s World Heritage Site

With all of five sites listed, Puerto Rico’s World Heritage Sites will be dealt with in Part 4 of this series.

St. Kitts World Heritage Site

Another relic of a past intertwined with war and slavery, Brimstone Hill Fortress, known as “The Gibraltar of the West Indies” is situated in the Federation of St. Christopher. The fortification was designed by English engineers but built by African slaves on the island.

The structure changed hands during wars between the English and French, eventually ending up in English hands. When it was abandoned by the British some time in the 19th century Brimstone Hill fell into decay. In 1987 the government of St. Kitts & Nevis turned it into a national park.

St. Lucia’s World Heritage Site

The natural flora and fauna of the area alone help to make it worthy of note. The area consists of two main volcanic necks also called volcanic plugs, namely, The Gros Piton and the Petit Piton. The twin peaks which rise from the sea are joined together by the Piton Mitan Ridge. The Pitons are close to the town of Soufriere.

There are fumaroles and sulfur hot springs to be found in the Pitons. It is also home to many varieties of plant life. There are also life forms that are found nowhere else, such as a type of opossum, eight reptiles and three types of rodents.

The list of UNESCO Heritage Sites in the Caribbean may well increase as there are almost forty additional sites on the Tentative List.

The copyright of the article UNESCO Heritage Sites in the Caribbean Islands in Latin Am/Caribbean Travel is owned by Jessica McCurdy Crooks. Permission to republish UNESCO Heritage Sites in the Caribbean Islands in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.