We return again to the South to the picturesque city of Jacmel known for its artisan shops, carnival, and its colonial architecture. To many, it's considered the cultural capital of Haiti.

Jacmel

Jacmel's name or Jakmèl in Creole is derived from Yaquimel, its Taino name that means "rich land"; the area was part of the Xaragua cacique. The French renamed it Jacmel as the city was founded 1698. During colonial times, it was a chief export of coffee and precious oils. Today, Jacmel is a tourist destination in Haiti noted for its quiet, but vibrant environment, breathtaking arts and beautiful beaches. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est and the fifth largest city in Haiti with an estimated population of 40,000. It has mansions that were built in the New Orleans Style by wealthy merchants of the city.







Historical importance

Simon Bolivar famously lived in exile in Jacmel where he was granted sanctuary by Alexandre Petion whom he had befriended. He would set out to Venezuela with guns, ammunitions and Haitian soldiers to liberate Latin America from Spanish rule.

Francisco de Miranda first created and raised the Venezuelan flag which he had personally designed in Jacmel.

Puerto Rican pro-independence leader Ramon Emeterio Betances spent a short time there from where he channeled an uprising in the Dominican Republic.

Alexandre Gregoire a great painter was a native of Jacmel.

Rene Dupestre a poet/writer who lived in exile in Cuba under the Duvalier years is a native of Jacmel.




Previews of upcoming pictures:

In architecture....












landscape...






life in the streets...






Beaches...


















Culture and arts...












(More to be posted tomorrow)

Damn drop dead gorgeous pictures of Jacmel...all these different areas of Haiti with vast beauties...no wonder Haiti was called the Pearl of the Antilles. Mad propz for what you have been doing lately.

Old architecture in Jacmel. Part 1 (As with the other cities, you can see that some of these structures need renovating.)

More in old colonial architecture...

the architecture is phenomenal. So much potential. Although it needs renovating i have seen places in worst conditions

Last set of pics of colonial architecture....

Beautiful. Some of the structures look maintained compared to other places.

Jacmel has done good in carrying its weight considering the weight that is Port-au-Prince and its politics. In due time, we might see some renovation in some of these structures.

For some reason, the inside of the Church is not doing it for me. It's a little creepy, too Gothic. Or maybe it's too much decoration. Around what time was it built? And why is there a mini gate inside the Church? lol

SIMACT group reportedly just added the hotel Cap Lamandou hotel to their acquisitions.




http://www.simact.net/index.html

HaitianQueen - 12 July 2008 10:25 AM

And why is there a mini gate inside the Church? lol

In the Catholic Church, the altar is the place where church officers sit and religious rites are performed. In some other religious setups, the altar is even used as a place on which sacrifices are offered to gods, ancestors, etc... It's always the practice to keep it a separate place from the rest of the church. Even when the separation is not as visible as the one inside the church you mentioned, if you pay close attention, you will always notice it. It can even come in the form of an elevation.
Also, many of the church expensive artifacts and gold objects are kept behind that gate! Remember Churches are very rich institutions! It would be unwise to give too easy access to a place like that!

HaitianQueen - 12 July 2008 10:55 AM

SIMACT group reportedly just added the hotel Cap Lamandou hotel to their acquisitions.




http://www.simact.net/index.html

I just read somewhere that they are also a part of the upcoming Serenity Aqua resorts in Petit-Goave.


A 3-D animation of the upcoming Belle Rive project in Jacmel, Haiti. Is it me or are they building those towers too close to the ocean?

Thank you for the lesson, Tibobo.