Martinique: Fort-de-France – St Louis Cathedral
The grand Cathedral of St Louis ion Fort-de-France has a long and troubled history. The first cathedral was built in 1666 and dedicated to Saint-Louis, the patron saint of France. It was a simple wooden structure and served as the principal church in Fort-de-France during the colonial period, it was destroyed by fire in 1762. In 1762, a more substantial cathedral was constructed to replace the original wooden church and featured stone walls and a larger capacity. It too was destroyed by fire in 1792 which started during city riots. A third cathedral was subsequently built on the same site, but it was short-lived, as it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1817. A fourth cathedral was the erected in 1818, built in the neoclassical style, larger and more elaborate than its predecessors, however, it was demolished by a hurricane in 1843. The fifth cathedral was completed in 1851 and featured a mix of neoclassical and Gothic architectural elements, it was even bigger and more elaborate – and it was also destroyed by fire in 1890. The current sixth cathedral was built in 1895 and features a neoclassical facade adorned with ornate columns and sculptures. It was renovated and reinforced in 1978 with earthquake-proof foundation, hurricane-proof features, and fire-resistant materials. Just in case.
