Entering the ruins at San Souci is like taking a trip into the past of Haiti. The royal palace is a monument to the nation's history, with statues of those who changed its course scattered around the grounds. San Souci was built to echo the style favored in France (particularly Versailles) by King Christope, who ruled as a despot in the northern part of Haiti, after the demise of Dessallines, leader of the Haitian revolution. Although the palace is in ruins, its façade and baroque staircases still blend perfectly with the backdrop of hills and countryside. UNESCO entered San Souci, along with the Citadel on its World Heritage List in 1982, to prevent further deterioration to the site, which suffers damage from Haiti's frequent earthquakes. To visit San Souci and the Haiti National History Park surrounding it, travelers staying in the nearby town of Milot should engage a local guide and vehicle hire, an arrangement usually made by a hotel for its guests.
The Citadelle La Ferrière stands on a hill above the San Souci Palace. This 19th-century fortress overlooks the city of Milot and was considered impregnable in its day. Cannon balls are neatly stacked on the ramparts of large fortifications able to garrison from 2,000 to 5,000 troops. The fort was built soon after the successful revolution against French colonizers and Haiti's proclamation of itself as the Caribbean's first independent state. Since the French did not return to Haiti, it was never needed as a defense against invaders. The Citadel is a World Heritage Site, listed by UNESCO as "the first monument constructed by black slaves who had gained their freedom," making it an important site. The Citadel is part of the larger Haiti National History Park. Reaching the Citadel on foot is accomplished by a long, steep uphill climb. A donkey rental service and guides who can relate its history in English can be found in villages at the base of the hill.
The main square in front of Cap Haïtien's Cathedral is the site of a monument to one of Haiti's first revolutionary leaders, Mackandal. He lead the Maroons, a group of African slaves who escaped from their captors and banded together to fight a guerrilla war from the shelter of the Haitian hills and woods. The statue commemorates Mackandal's execution in the square in 1758.
