Castle · Milot, Haiti
Citadelle Laferrière
The Citadelle Laferrière, commonly known as La Citadelle, is a large early-19th-century fortress located in Milot in Nord, Haiti. Built 1805–1820.
Photo: SPC Gibran Torres, United States Army via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Milot, Haiti |
|---|---|
| Type | Castle |
| Built | 1805–1820 |
| Elevation | Elevation: 900 m |
| Coordinates | 19.5736° N, 72.2439° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Citadelle Laferrière is known for
The Citadelle Laferrière, commonly known as La Citadelle, is a large early-19th-century fortress located in Milot in Nord, Haiti.
About Citadelle Laferrière
The Citadelle Laferrière, commonly known as La Citadelle, is a large early-19th-century fortress located in Milot in Nord, Haiti. Built by tens of thousands of former slaves, the Citadelle Laferrière was commissioned by Haitian revolutionary Henri Christophe, for whom it is also named Citadelle Henri Christophe. It was built to help the newly independent First Empire of Haiti defend itself against a potential French incursion, which never came. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1982 along with the Sans-Souci Palace, also commissioned by Christophe, the fortress is universally regarded as a landmark of Haiti.
History
The Citadelle was commissioned in 1805 by Henri Christophe and completed in 1820. The fortress was built as part of a system of fortifications designed to thwart potential foreign invaders, especially from France. Haiti had been under French rule until 1803, when the Haitians defeated the French. The fortress proved needless, for Napoleon, occupied with his European campaigns, never tried to regain Haiti.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Milot |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Cap-Haïtien International Airport (CAP) |
| Distance from the airport | 11.4 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Cap Haitien International Airport (CAP) · Cap Haitien, Haiti · 10.9 miles away
- Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) · Port-au-Prince, Haiti · 68.7 miles away
- Cibao International Airport (STI) · Santiago, Dominican Republic · 107.4 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Haiti
More castles
Frequently asked questions
What is Citadelle Laferrière?
The Citadelle Laferrière, commonly known as La Citadelle, is a large early-19th-century fortress located in Milot in Nord, Haiti.
Where is Citadelle Laferrière located?
Citadelle Laferrière is in Milot, Haiti. Its coordinates are 19.5736° N, 72.2439° W.
How do I get to Citadelle Laferrière?
The nearest town is Milot, and the nearest airport is Cap-Haïtien International Airport (CAP), about 11.4 miles away (straight line).
When was Citadelle Laferrière built?
Citadelle Laferrière was built 1805–1820.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citadelle_Laferri%C3%A8re — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206194 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.