Most Visited Monuments in Mauritius l Famous Monuments in Mauritius

Let alone the magical surrounds, Mauritius has a wonderful culinary scene and a diverse, rich religious and cultural landscape, which is largely attributed to its surprising history. The history and the monument of Mauritius are utterly fascinating even if you aren’t a history buff and a better understanding of the history of the island allows visitors greater insight into the vibrant country. You can gain a better understanding by visiting a few important historical monuments in Mauritius. 

List of Monuments in Mauritius 

1. Aapravasi Ghat

By far one of the popular monuments in Mauritius, Aapravasi Ghat, which directly translates to “Immigration Depot”, where indentured labourers from India were sent as they arrived on the island. Situated right by the sea in the capital city of Port Louis, the site today has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains the remains of the buildings that formed the complex used for indentured labourers during British colonial rule. There is also an interpretation centre and guided tours are offered (and highly recommended) in order for visitors to fully understand the significance of this site which saw some 500 000 indentured labourers in total pass through it between 1850 and 1923, to be used as labourers in British colonies and on the sugar plantations in Mauritius. It’s said that the ancestors of around 70% of the country’s population today arrived through this immigration depot. It’s a hugely significant site and well worth a visit. 

Address: Ex-DWC Building, 1 Quay St, Port Louis, Mauritius.

2. St. Aubin House

One of the best monuments in Mauritius is St. Aubin house for those who are interested in the colonial history of Mauritius situated on an old plantation. The property is almost two hundred years old and was once home to a sugar factory (which was moved in the 70s) and a rum distillery exists on it today. There is also a tropical garden, spice garden and vanilla house and on a guided tour you will be able to see what living on this plantation was like for the colonialists. There’s also a fabulous restaurant that serves up an incredible lunch with local, fresh ingredients at the core of its menu. 

Address: St Aubin, Riviere des Anguilles, Mauritius

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3. Beau Plan Sugar Mill

 For those interested in the sugar trade in Mauritius, the Beau Plan Sugar Mill is a fabulous place to visit. It used to be an impressive sugar mill that built-in 1797 (and which was closed in 1999), and today is today a fascinating museum with an exhibit that explains the history of sugar in Mauritius and it covers everything from the sugar industry and slavery to the Mauritian rum trade. A tour of this beautiful monument in Mauritius can take between 2 and 3 hours and ends with a sugar tasting. 

Address: Pamplemousses, Mauritius

 

4. Baie de l’Arsenal

 In the north of the island, there are ruins of a French Arsenal where you can see the remains of a once-thriving foundry which produced a wealth of military supplies. In 1774 there was an explosion at the foundry which sadly killed some 300 slaves. It’s one of the lesser-known monument of Mauritius, but definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. However, due to an explosion, it was destroyed back in 1774 and killed around 300 slaves. If you are staying at Hotel Maritim, you can actually visit the grounds to witness the ruins.

Address: Baie de l’Arsenal, Balaclava, Mauritius.

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5. Bois Cheri

Another plantation well worth visiting is the famous Bois Cheri tea plantation, one of the most popular of its kind along the tea route in Mauritius. Spanning an incredible 250 hectares, this natural monument in Mauritius is best seen via a guided tour which will give you a full understanding of the workings of the plantation and its history. There is also an exhibition here and you can sample some of the teas grown on the plantation itself, making it a truly amazing historical place in Mauritius to discover. 

Address: Bois Cheri Road, Bois Cheri, Mauritius

6. Eureka House

While we are on the trail of colonial properties, here another magnificent place to explore is Eureka House. This phenomenal tropical colonial mansion was built in the early 1800s and has been converted into a museum which highlights the life of the colonialists at the time. Incredible furniture, old maps and phenomenal antiques make this a very special place to visit. This famous monument in Mauritius is worth visiting if you like old houses, look at things that were used one or two hundreds years ago. If you critically analyse you will get that it is not a typical museum with explanations all around the walls but brief guidance is provided. You will find a small restaurant around this monument.

Address: Eureka House, Moka, Mauritius

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7. Matthew Flinders Monument

The paradise island with its rich history, Mauritius, does not fail to shower you with historical places to visit and take you back in time. Matthew Flinders Monument is one such significant marvel of the island. It stands on the shore of Baie du Cap, 500 metres towards the west. The Matthew Flinders Monument was unveiled on 6th November 2003 at Baie du Cap by Philippe de la Hausse de la Louvière, President of the Société de L’Histoire of Mauritius. The bronze monument displays the structure of Matthew Flinders in a simple, stonewalled room marking his detention period and is surrounded by a chest, his flute, his loved cat Trim and a compass. The design of this most famous monument in Mauritius is the work of Madame Zsuzsanna Szamok. Air Mauritius helped the construction in transporting bronze.

Address: Corner of Flinders & Swanston Streets, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia

8. Le Morne Brabant

Another hugely significant historical monument in Mauritius, Le Morne Brabant, the iconic mountain a short distance from the popular Le Morne Beach in the southwest of the island, was said to have been a safe haven for runaway slaves that had managed to escape their incarceration. It is said that they set up small communities and lived in caves until slavery was abolished when a very sad event took place here. The mountain today is seen as a symbol of hope and freedom and it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can hike the mountain with a guide or simply visit it, where the memorial at its foot gives some insight into the significance of this site. 

Address: Le Morne, Mauritius 742CU001

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9. Citadel Fort

This military building, which also goes by the name Fort Adelaide, was built in the 19th century by the British to protect the British Army. It was interestingly constructed in a Moorish style and is a hugely popular site today given its unbelievable panoramic views of Port Louis and the harbour. You will get many souvenir shops nearby which once served as barracks of the fort.  Also known as the Adelaide Fort and it was named after the wife of William II when the British held land in Port Louis. This ancient and iconic fort provides you with stunning views of the harbour and the entire city of Port Louis. Now the fort has been converted into a National monument of Mauritius. Surrounding the fort is also the Caudan Waterfront and the vast Indian Ocean. Fort Citadel remains a popular tourist destination and it provides stunning views of the city 

Address: Citadel Fort, Port Louis, Mauritius

 

10. Martello Tower Museum

Situated in La Preneuse in the Black River district is the Martello Tower Museum. Centred on the original Martello tower built back in the 1800s by the British (to protect them from the French), the Martello Tower Museum is a fabulous point, where guides take visitors on a tour of the grounds and explain the intricate architecture of the tower and its purpose. The original copper cannons which had a firing range of 2 kilometres are also impressive. Quite different to the rest of the iconic monuments in Mauritius, it’s well worth a visit. 

Address: Coastal Rd, Flic en Flac, Mauritius.

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So far, we have discussed the best monuments in Mauritius, which contains the proper information regarding all the most visited monuments in Mauritius. I hope you might have loved reading this article and if you love to know more about Mauritius then kindly head to our other articles as well which will help you to get knowledge about.

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