Once a busy port town, Saint Pierre was originally the sophisticated capital of Martinique, called the “Little Paris of the West Indies.” It is a city of many stories, but most poignant is the 1902 eruption of Mont Pelée, four miles away, that totally destroyed the town and its nearly 30,000 inhabitants. Only one man survived, locked in a jail dungeon, which remains among the town ruins that can be seen today.
The stories of the lone survivor and horrific destruction of the city are depicted in Saint Pierre’s Volcano Museum, established in 1933 by American volcanologist, Frank Perret. Housed in a former gun battery, the museum shows before and after photos and molten artefacts including the melted bell from the church tower.
Strolling through the town, one can still see empty spaces and charred ruins of ancient buildings including a 18th-century theatre and a church facade. Signs are posted for visitors, and guided tours are available. The volcanic eruption also destroyed ships in the town’s old harbour, leaving many wrecks that make it one of the island’s best scuba diving spots.
After the destruction, Saint Pierre came to be called “Little Pompeii of the Caribbean,” but unlike Pompeii, it was gradually rebuilt as a living city with a cathedral, modern town hall and covered market. Today, one also finds a few small hotels, shops and cafes in a peaceful, village-like atmosphere with about 5000 inhabitants. A recent art installation of totem poles throughout the city celebrates Saint Pierre’s past grandeur and creative rebirth, and the French government has recognized it as a “city of art and history.”
Source: http://www.chattanoogan.com/2016/4/1/321216/Saint-Pierre-Martinique-From-Little.aspx
