Port Louis
Port Louis (French Port-Louis ) is the capital of the east of Africa lying island state of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
It has approximately 170,000 inhabitants, the largest city in the country and is the economic and cultural center of the island dar. There is a ferry to Le Port, the port town of about 180 km from the Mascarene island of Réunion. Air traffic to and from Mauritius is handled by the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport Plaine Magnien, near Mahebourg, 30 km southeast of Port Louis. The industrial enterprises of the city produce, among other sugars as well as wood and paper products.
Geography
Port Louis is located on the northwest coast of the island. In the hinterland lying ridges, the city safe from the southeast trade winds. There are sea smaller hills that offer a good panoramic view of the overall quite lively city.
Climate
History
When the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands Mauritius took possession in 1638, Port Louis was ( then under the name Dutch Noord- Westerhaven, later adopted by the French in the common name in the 18th century Port Nord-Ouest ) one of its two harbors. 1735 Port Louis was under French rule developed by La Bourdonnais to the main port and administrative center. When the French East India Company was dissolved in 1767 and the Mascarene Islands were opened two years later to free trade, a phase of the recovery began. The place served as a port for shipping traffic between Europe and Asia and its importance was only with the opening of the Suez Canal after. 1810, the British captured the island. Mauritius became independent in 1968, declared the capital Port Louis.
Attractions
- Citadel ( Citadel, Fort Adelaïde ) - with good views of the city
- Immigration Depot - UNESCO World Heritage Site, the remains of a camp for Indian-born indentured laborers from the 19th century
- Blue Penny Museum - one of four unstamped stamps the Blue Mauritius is issued
- Champs de Mars - oldest racecourse in the southern hemisphere
- Mapped shopping area at the port, on the back of the 50 rupees banknote - Le Caudan Waterfront
- Small Chinatown with archway
- Garden of the East India Company
- Jewish Cemetery Saint -Martin (124 graves, cf Atlantic drift)
- Mauritius Institute ( Natural History Museum )
- Meenakshi Temple - South Indian Hindu Temple of 1854 of the Tamil population
- Place d' Armes - a palmenbepflanzter, in a richer place
- State Bank building - a modern " skyscraper "
- Theater, well-preserved historic building from 1822 with 600 seats, used for amateur theatrical performances and weddings
Sons and daughters of the town
- Léon Carvalho (1825-1897), French singer and opera director
- Amanda Courtaux (1856-1941), French music teacher and composer
- Tom Prince (1866-1914), German colonial officer
- Francis Thomé (1850-1909), French composer