Jacmel

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Basic data
View of the bay and Jacmel
Country : Haiti
Department : South-Est
Residents : 35,000
(2006)
map
Jacmel (Haiti)
Jacmel
Jacmel
Location in Haiti
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Jacmel ( Haitian Jakmèl ) is a city in Haiti and the capital of the Jacmel arrondissement in the Sud-Est department and was founded in 1698 . The city's population is estimated at 40,000; it ranks twelfth in the size ranking of the cities of Haiti.

The historic center of the city was put on the list of proposals for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage by Haiti in 2004 . Many of the historic buildings from the French colonial era were badly damaged by the severe earthquake on January 12, 2010 . In the meantime, almost all damage has been removed and the city, which is considered one of the most culturally interesting in Haiti, has largely regained its old flair. The wrought-iron buildings with continuous arcades are sometimes compared to the French Quarter in New Orleans. Jacmel is also famous for the Carneval with a very independent character.

Jacmel has been the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Jacmel since 1988 .

geography

Jacmel is located about 80 kilometers south of the capital Port-au-Prince on the south coast of Hispaniola , in a bay about three kilometers wide. The Rivière de la Cosse flows into the Caribbean Sea here.

The city has a small port ( UN / LOCODE : HTJAK) operated by the Autorité Portuaire Nationale ; large ships cannot enter it.

The asphalt runway at Aéroport de Jacmel (ICAO code: MTJA) is 29 m wide and 1006 m long.

history

The city was founded in 1698 by French colonists. The origin of the name is unclear. It is said that the name goes back to the name of a Taíno settlement called Yaquimel , other sources indicate the name of Jacques Melo, who, as one of the founders of the colonial place, was named after the city. In the 18th century the city developed into an important port city, from which coffee was mainly shipped. When the large mulatto population of the city demanded equality with the whites at the end of the 18th century , the city became a theater of war in the uprising of the blacks against colonial rule. In 1816, Alexandre Sabès Pétion , then President of Haiti, hosted Simón Bolívar when he armed his followers. In the middle of the 19th century, most of the steamships on their way between the Caribbean and Europe called at Jacmels. The city was the first city in the Caribbean to have a telephone and a water supply. On Christmas Eve 1895, Haiti's first electricity supply went into operation in the city. In 1896 the city burned down.

2010 earthquake

Damage from the Jacmel earthquake
Damage from the Jacmel earthquake

The city was badly affected by the January 12th earthquake. Around 70% of the houses were damaged and many collapsed. According to the mayor, the earthquake killed 400–500 residents and injured more than 4,000. The historic market hall, built by Belgian craftsmen in 1895, and many of the historic mansions with their wrought-iron balconies supported by cast iron withstood the tremors. However, the Alexandra Manor Hotel, a building known for its architecture, and most of the houses in the poorer parts of the city collapsed or were irreparably damaged.

225 Canadian soldiers have been brought to Jacmel by HMCS Halifax to help those affected. However, the frigate could not call at the port directly because it is too shallow. The city's airfield was initially unusable after the earthquake, Canadian troops initially flown relief supplies into the city using CH-146 Griffon helicopters and, from January 19, also using Hercules CC-130 aircraft, and flew out injured and foreigners. The Canadian government is focusing its relief efforts on Jacmel and the surrounding area at the request of the Haiti government. The families of Michaëlle Jean , Canada's current Governor General , was born in Jacmel.

Most of the city has now been rebuilt, new hotels are under construction and the coastal promenade is currently (January 2014) being redesigned. The old prison in the old town is being extensively renovated. The cathedral is closed and renovations are not in sight.

education

The only film school in Haiti is based in Jacmel.

Town twinning

Strasbourg and Jacmel have been twin cities since 1996.

sons and daughters of the town

Web links

Commons : Jacmel  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Haiti ( English ) In: World Heritage . UNESCO. January 20, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
  2. ^ Port of Jacmel ( English ) World Port Source. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  3. ^ Jacmel ( English ) In: World Aeronautical Database . World Aero Data. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  4. ↑ Paul Clammer, Michael Grosberg and Jens Porup: Dominican Republic and Haiti ( English ), 4th edition, Lonely Planet, 2008, ISBN 978-1-74104-292-4 , p. 317.
  5. ↑ Agence France-Presse : In Haiti, the Jacmel cathedral clock stopped at 5:37 pm (English) , MYsinchew.com. January 20, 2010. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2010. 
  6. ^ Gloria Galloway: Canada's big task in Haiti starts on small airstrip (English) , The Globe and Mail . January 19, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2010. 
  7. ↑ Canadians focus Haitian relief on town with ties to GG (English) , National Post . January 18, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2010. 

Coordinates: 18 ° 14 ′  N , 72 ° 32 ′  W