The museum commemorates the volcanic catastrophe in the French Caribbean […]
Martinique is one of the peaks in an area with 18 volcanoes. The island is beautiful, but there is almost no one left to talk about it.
In 1902, the active volcano Mount Pelée, in the north of this Antillean island, erupted, killing nearly 30,000 people in just a few minutes. Only three people would survive.
According to reports, the eruption clouds were moving at a speed of almost 700 km/h and the internal temperature was over 1,000 °C.
And to understand something more about the history of one of the worst volcanic disasters of the last century, the Travel by fare went to see the 1902 Memorial.
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The small and panoramic Memorial to the 1902 catastrophea space created by the American volcanologist Frank A. Perret, in 1933, is located in Saint-Pierre, in the north of the island, and has a collection of over 430 pieces removed from the catastrophe, such as the imposing bronze bell, from 1865, deformed by the heat of the eruption, and the mass of objects such as amphorae and vases, in the midst of the volcanic lava.
Another highlight is the food removed by the accident, such as sugar and coffee beans petrified by the volcano.
The catastrophe
Mountain Pelee erupted on the morning of May 8, 1902, but weeks earlier the volcano was already showing signs of what was to come.
At the end of April, dark steam columns began to form, followed by ash rain in Prêcheur and light earthquakes. The following days were also marked by tsunamis, rising waters in the Pères and Roxelane rivers and torrential rains.
At the time, Saint-Pierre, the city most affected by the explosion, was not only the capital of Martinique, but also the main commercial and cultural destination of the island, a sort of “Caribbean Paris”. From that deadly day, Fort-de-France will become the capital of destiny.
“Saint-Pierre disappeared with this Pelean-type eruption,” describes Jacqueline Marie-Rose, of the Martinique Tourist Board, the body responsible for promoting tourism in Martinique.
This eruption, whose name is inspired by Mount Pelee, is known for the large number of explosions of fragments, such as hot rocks, ash and dust, thus forming what is now known as the “fiery cloud”.
“This allows us to understand that this was not the case [uma erupção] of lava, but of gas”, adds Jacqueline.
One of the most famous survival cases is that of Cyparis, probably one of only three who managed to escape the fury of the volcano alive.
The miracle occurred because this prisoner was found alive, three days after the eruption, protected by the walls of his cell. Despite severe burns, Cyparis was performed at Barnum, the largest circus in the United States, as “The Man Who Survived the Last Judgment.”
But you can rest assured, as Pelée’s last eruption occurred between 1929 and 1932 and, currently, volcanic activities on the mountain are frequently monitored.
In fact, there are also marked paths that take the more adventurous to the volcano’s caldera.
All roads lead to the volcano
At 1,397 meters above sea level, the highest point in Martinique and one of the highest in the Caribbean, Mount Pelée is an active volcano in the Martinique Regional Natural Park which, since last year, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wherever you are, this mountain in the north of the island will always find a way to show off its grandeur, even if its summit is cloudy.
But to see this volcano’s caldera up close, you’ll have to sweat.
“It is and it isn’t [uma trilha] for anyone. The first time I set out without any preparation for a hike of this magnitude and spent several days with body pain. But the impossibility is always in the mind,” warns Luísa, who already has more than 35 different trails on the island on her adventurous resume.
As it couldn’t be otherwise, in the wild lands of northern Martinique, the path, although signposted, is full of differences in level and presents slippery terrain with rocks to literally climb. However, you don’t need to be a professional, much less use special equipment.
And, with each completed stage of that challenging up and down, a new world opens up beneath your feet, in a sequence of microclimates that develop in that hardened ash terrain.
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Memorial to the 1902 catastrophe
Every day, from 9:00 to 18:00
Rue Victor-Hugo, 169 (Saint-Pierre, Martinique)
Tickets: €8 (adults); €6 (children aged 7 to 17); and free (under 7 years)
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
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