Tortola
Tortola ( German and Dutch tert Get ) is the largest island of the British Virgin Islands. It is about 19 kilometers long and five kilometers wide. Most of the 14,000 inhabitants live in the capital, Road Town, which has an international airport ( IATA: EIS). The highest point of the archipelago is Mount Sage 543 m. Much of the forest land is declared as a nature reserve, which is accessible by well- developed hiking trails.
History
In the 1st century BC, the Arawaks inhabited the island, they were subjected to the 15th century AD by the Caribs.
At the end of the same century, Europeans were aware of this island after 1493 by Christopher Columbus along with the entire group of islands: it was discovered (now the British and U.S. Virgin Islands). Columbus named the island group the 11,000 virgins in honor, who were murdered in the 4th century AD with the two Saint Ursula of Cologne and Cordula according to legend by the Huns.
The Spaniards tried several times to colonize the archipelago, but the first permanent settlements were those of pirates such as Blackbeard or Captain Kidd. Beginning of the 17th century, Joost van Dyk settled in Tortola. He was captain of a privateer, which is why he was sometimes referred to as a pirate. He built on cotton and tobacco and was built in 1620, the " Fort Recovery " on the island.
The Netherlands took the island in 1621 in possession and gave it the name " Tert Get ". To secure their new colonial seat they built in the same year " Fort Tertolen ". More than 20 years later, today's Road Town on the Bay Road was built in 1648 founded as the capital and administrative center of the Dutch settlers.
1672 Tortola and the neighboring islands was taken by the British in possession. They established plantations here. So here sugarcane was produced for next 150 years by African slaves. When the British mid-19th century abolished slavery, gave the white landowners in the sugar cane cultivation, most left the British Virgin Islands during the thereby caused economic decline.
1871 was the island the status of a British colony until its internal self-government was granted in 1966.
To fix the colonial seats following forts were built on the island: ( original name, changed some later)
Attractions
The Botanic Gardens in the heart of Road Town impress with their exotic plant abundance. A circular walk passes an open-air enclosure for tropical birds and artificial waterfalls. In the deep-sea port and ferry dock of Road Town anchor many large catamarans and yachts that can be chartered for trips to the islands of the Virgins often. In the Main Street of Road Town with its shops, bars and pubs as well as some houses found in the colonial style. A special feature is the Pusser 's Company Store, which is rum to the Royal Navy since 300 years.
On Tortola are many forts and ruins, since this island was hard -fought. On the south coast the first Dutch settlers built in the 17th century, the Fort Recovery and the Pockwood Pond, you can explore the remains of The Dungeon (18th century), which served as a fort of the monitoring of vessel traffic between the islands. In one of the cellars can be found on the walls of petroglyphs - probably of prisoners. Also from the 18th century come to Fort Hill - close to Road Town - the ruins of the British Fort George and the remains of Fort Charlotte on Harrigan 's Hill.
Origin of the name
The name derives from the Dutch island Ter Tholen, based on the eponymous peninsula in the southwestern province of Zeeland, the Netherlands. The term " Pigeon Island " incorrectly refers to the Spanish Tortola, which means " turtle-dove ". The island was Tert Get, Get New Tert, and Spanish Santa Ana called before the name was changed to Tortola under British rule.
Notes
- Telephone prefix Tortola: 001-284
- Information: BVI Tourist Board, Social Security Building, Road Town, Tortola, phone 494-3134, fax 494-3866, Internet: www.bvitouristboard.com