In addition to sampling all the best beaches we can find in the Caribbean, we’ve been learning what we can about the history of this part of the world. During the 16th – 18th Centuries Spain, England & France were all competing over these fertile islands, and one of the most hotly contested was the beautiful island of St. Christopher (now known as St. Kitts).
Brimstone Hill, named for the strong sulfur smell from nearby undersea vents, sits on the island’s northwest coast overlooking the towns of Fort Charles and Sandy Point.
The British began constructing a fortress here in 1690, originally to provide refuge for important (rich) people during attacks by the French. Over the years, however, it was fortified to the point where it became known as the “Gibraltar of the West Indies”.
It’s a pretty impressive site, carefully restored over the last several decades into a quality tourist attraction – much better than the dilapidated Fort George in Grenada.
The hill itself is made of cooled lava covered in a crust of limestone from the ocean floor, which provides the ideal raw materials for constructing such a fortress. Stones cut onsite from the volcanic rock are held together by mortar made from the limestone.
The high vantage point which once gave the fort’s cannons considerable range now provides visitors with great views of the coastline and nearby St. Eustatius, as well as the lush nearby mountainside.
The site is still being improved, so check it out if you’re ever in St. Kitts!
{ 1 comment }
What a way to learn history.
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