Admission Ticket to the Citadelle Laferrière

The Citadelle Laferrière is a mountaintop fortress, located on the northern coast of Haiti - on the top of mountain Bonnet a L’Eveque. Depicted on local currency, stamps and postcards, this amazing structure has become the symbol of Haiti’s power and independence. It was built in the beginning of the 19th century by one of the leaders of Haiti’s slave revolution. Today The Citadelle is one of the main touristic destinations of Haiti. Visitors have access to almost every part of the fortress.

The Citadelle is referred by locals as the Eighth Wonder of the World and in 1982 it was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This massive stone construction is the largest fortress in the Americas. Built to demonstrate the power of the newly independent Haiti, the Citadelle Laferrière was essential for the security of Haiti’s newly formed state. 

The fortress has an angular structure, thanks to which its appearance has different forms based on the viewer’s location. Some of the angles have protective character and were designed to deviate the enemy’s cannonballs. This mountaintop fortress includes fortification walls, large storages of food and water, royal mansions, dungeons, bathing quarters, etc. Most of the parts of the fortress have no roofs.

There are fantastic views on three sides of tumbling green peaks and, to the north, Cap-Haïtien, where the streets are lined with colorful shops, watch-menders and old men playing dice.