Turgeau (Kreyòl: Tijè or Tijò) is the first communal section of the City of Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti. It forms the heart of the city’s historic and administrative core and extends from the foothills overlooking the bay to the densely populated neighborhoods of lower Port-au-Prince. The area includes several of the city’s best-known districts, such as Bel-Air, Turgeau, Canapé-Vert, Pacot, Bois-Patate, Fort National, La Saline, and Bas Peu de Choses, among others—each with its own distinct social character, elevation, and history.
Turgeau is often described as a city within a city: a patchwork of elegant gingerbread homes, colonial villas, and hillside avenues juxtaposed with the informal quarters that climb the ravines and ridges toward Carrefour-Feuilles and Bourdon. Its topography and central position have made it both the civic and cultural heart of Port-au-Prince and one of its most contested spaces—home to ministries, embassies, universities, markets, and densely packed residential blocks.
Following the 2010 earthquake, much of Turgeau suffered severe structural damage, particularly in Fort National, Canapé-Vert, and Bas Peu de Choses. Yet, reconstruction and community initiatives—ranging from solar-lighting projects to heritage preservation—have restored parts of its identity as a living, vibrant urban core.
While gang violence and displacement have more recently affected neighborhoods like Nazon, Solino, and Fort National, Turgeau remains the city’s essential reference point: geographically central, historically rich, and socially diverse. To some, it is the “original Port-au-Prince,” the hill from which the capital grew; to others, it is the emblem of the country’s paradox—where privilege, history, and struggle meet on the same steep roads.
About[]
Location in Haiti (red arrow pointing to #6)
Turgeau functions as both a residential and institutional center within the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. It is home to a mix of hillside suburbs, urban business districts, and high-density settlements built along the city’s ravines and slopes. The section’s boundaries connect with Carrefour-Feuilles to the south, Delmas to the north, and the downtown area to the west, making it one of the most traversed zones in the capital.
Urban Character and Layout[]
Turgeau’s landscape combines formal and informal patterns of growth. Along Avenue John Brown (Lalue) and Avenue Christophe, traffic moves through the commercial corridors that link upper and lower parts of the city. These routes pass near ministries, schools, hospitals, and diplomatic offices, giving Turgeau its role as the city’s administrative hub. Further uphill, neighborhoods like Bourdon, Bois-Patate, and Haut-Turgeau host private homes, guesthouses, and international institutions, while lower areas such as Nazon, Bas Peu de Choses, and La Saline are marked by dense housing, street markets, and frequent congestion.
Architecturally, Turgeau reflects the full timeline of Port-au-Prince’s urban evolution. In districts like Pacot and Bois Verna, visitors still find the iconic maisons gingerbread — 19th-century wooden houses with ornate fretwork — some restored through heritage programs such as the Maison Dufort Project led by the World Monuments Fund. Modern buildings, apartment blocks, and community schools stand beside colonial-era structures and post-earthquake reconstructions.
Daily Life and Institutions[]
Turgeau hosts many of the country’s key institutions, including the National Palace area, Hotel Montana, Collège Saint-Louis de Bourdon, and the Karibe Hotel and Convention Center, a frequent venue for conferences. Commercial activity is concentrated in Canapé-Vert, Pacot, and along the Nazon–Delmas corridor, where small shops, banks, and food vendors operate side by side. The area also contains a dense network of schools, churches, and clinics — from Madame Franck Paul School in Canapé-Vert to numerous modern healthcare providers.
Street life in Turgeau varies from one neighborhood to another. In Bourdon and Bois-Patate, traffic remains steady but organized, while in Nazon and Bas Peu de Choses, residents often describe the roads as chaotic but vital. Motorcycles, tap-taps, and taxis serve as the main forms of transport. Field reports show residents navigating narrow streets in Fort National, where housing density remains high and infrastructure limited.
Reconstruction and Development Projects[]
Map of the district of Turgeau
Following the 2010 earthquake, redevelopment projects reshaped parts of Turgeau’s hills. The Lemay Urban District Plan proposed integrated rebuilding for Fort National, aiming to improve land use, public services, and drainage. Parallel initiatives focused on restoring road access in Canapé-Vert and solar-lighting campaigns supported by local government and private partners.
In Nazon, CHF/Global Communities documented a post-earthquake clearance program that removed debris and reopened blocked roads, helping residents rebuild informal homes. The Reclaim Haiti initiative adds an environmental and economic dimension to reconstruction, promoting local job creation, youth involvement, and natural-habitat protection as part of its sustainable-development model.
Security and Social Conditions[]
Since 2022, several reports from Reuters, AP News, and VOA Creole have highlighted the spread of gang activity into parts of Turgeau, especially Nazon, Solino, and Fort National. These areas have seen periodic clashes, police operations, and population displacement.
However, upper districts such as Bourdon, Pacot, and Canapé-Vert continue to serve as mixed middle-class residential areas with schools, cafés, and small hotels. Travelers and residents still describe these neighborhoods as active, with local initiatives emphasizing safety, cleanliness, and community presence.
History[]
Before European settlement, the area that now forms Turgeau lay within the territory of the Taíno Kingdom of Xaragua, whose settlements extended across the southern plains of Hispaniola. The coastal zone of present-day Port-au-Prince was characterized by mangroves, salt flats, and small rivers flowing from the foothills where modern-day Turgeau and Bourdon now stand.
Following the founding of Port-au-Prince by the 
French in 1749, the Turgeau hills served primarily as a rural hinterland. Plantation estates, or habitations, occupied the slopes above the bay, producing sugarcane, coffee, and fruits for the colonial market. The Source Turgeau spring was already valued for its clean water and was used to supply nearby estates and the growing settlement on the coast. Records from the late 18th century mention small roads and lookout posts leading from the upper grounds toward the fortifications of Saint-Joseph and Touron, which protected the approaches to the colonial capital.
By the late 1700s, the landscape around Turgeau and Canapé-Vert was dotted with villas belonging to planters and free people of color. These properties would later become strategic sites during the revolutionary campaigns that swept through the Western Province between 1791 and 1804.
Revolution (1791 – 1804)[]
In January 1792, the colored men camped at Croix-des-Bouquets sent Pinchinat to Port-au-Prince to request a truce from the whites. The municipal authorities, instead of letting him enter the city as had been agreed, fired upon him with all the cannons of Fort Saint-Joseph. However, Pinchinat returned safely to Croix-des-Bouquets.
On June 5 1794, Blaise, lieutenant colonel of the Western Legion, delivered Fort Saint-Joseph to the 
English. That same day a settler named Béranger went there and, in the midst of the whites who had called the English to the colony, read aloud a list of thirty planters—his old friends—whom he accused of being republicans. Beginning with Messrs. Goy and Gau, he had each man thrown successively into a pit after burning their brains with his own hand, saying to each victim: “Republican, make the jump of the Tarpeian Rock.” He would have continued killing all those unfortunate people who had just betrayed the country had not General Whyte, arriving at the fort at eight o’clock in the evening, ended the carnage. The English general had Béranger arrested and published a proclamation the next day condemning his crimes. Béranger fled and drowned in the Voldrugue River while en route to Jérémie.
Also in 1794, the English landed at Pointe de la Saline and seized Fort Touron. This fort lay beyond the city, near Église Saint-Joseph, in a vast saline plain that served as the execution ground for Port-au-Prince criminals. Among the illustrious dead later interred in its cemetery were 9Sylvain Salnave, Septimus Rameau, and General P. Lorquet. In 1880, under the government of 13President Salomon, the area of La Saline was subdivided for settlement, giving rise to a real village.
On February 5 1802, when the French army landed at Lamentin, the garrison of Fort Saint-Joseph had already been taken over by citizens. The 3rd Colonial Regiment fired on the French from Place Vallière before retreating into the fort. Believing themselves among allies, they allowed the soldiers of the 3rd to enter, but soon found the guns turned against them. At the same time, the French surrounding the fort demanded their surrender, which was accepted.
That same year, the band leader Basson Langlade occupied Canapé-Vert against the French. Another insurgent commander, Adam Duchemin, seized the Source Turgeau and its spring. Contemporary accounts claim that the local fighters sometimes poisoned the waters by throwing branches of mancenillier into them. The French launched an assault, drove them from the position, and established a substantial post on the site.
The Want locality, belonging to Louis Jean Adam, then contained around a dozen handsome country houses. The colonist Want, its former owner, had served as a district general of prefecture and in 1802 was appointed by General Leclerc as prefect of the Southern Department. In 1803, he published a work on the importance of the French West Indian colonies—particularly that of Santo Domingo, which by that time was already functioning as an independent state under the name Haiti.
On September 25 1803, during the siege of Port-au-Prince, Jean-Jacques Dessalines established his headquarters at Turgeau. The French general Lavalette began negotiations with Dessalines to evacuate the city and sent General Andrieux to Turgeau to guarantee the execution of the agreed terms. In exchange, Dessalines dispatched General Bonnet to Port-Républicain (the colonial name then used for Port-au-Prince).
Post Revolution / 19th Century (1804-1900)[]
After Haitian independence in 1804, the hills east of Port-au-Prince, including Turgeau, underwent gradual resettlement. Many former plantations and military outposts were abandoned or subdivided among freedmen, soldiers, and new landowners. The area’s fertile slopes and natural springs, particularly the Source Turgeau, attracted settlers who developed small farms and homesteads.
During the early decades of the 19th century, Turgeau remained semi-rural but closely tied to the expanding capital. The nearby Fort Saint-Joseph, damaged during the Revolution, continued to serve as a defensive outpost guarding the approach to the city. The Saint-Anne Parish and its outlying localities—Desprez, Waute, and Babiole—became early residential nuclei, marking the transition from countryside to suburb.
By the 1830s and 1840s, government officials and merchants began building secondary residences in Turgeau to escape the congestion of the port area. Its higher elevation offered cooler temperatures and wide views over the bay, leading some contemporary observers to call it “the terrace of Port-au-Prince.” The area’s water supply also made it valuable to the city: water from the Turgeau spring was piped downhill, although the high limestone content caused rapid mineral buildup inside cast-iron pipes, reducing flow capacity over time.
Local tradition holds that during this same period, Jean-Louis Bellegarde, an officer accused of conspiring against President Jean-Pierre Boyer, found refuge in a nearby cave later known as Trou Bellegarde. Whether legend or fact, the story reflects Turgeau’s reputation as both a place of retreat and quiet defiance during Haiti’s turbulent 19th century.
Mid-19th Century Events[]
• Colonel François Lux, before evacuating, could not resist the desire to go see Dessalines in Turgeau. As soon as he appeared, Dessalines asked who this old man was. “It’s Colonel Lux,” they told him. “Come closer,” he cried, “you fought like a lion in Sarthe. I would like to know you.” The French colonel expressed how flattered he was by the reception and said how sorry he would be to leave for France without having seen him. Dessalines replied that if he were not white, he would appoint him as his lieutenant in the native armies. The apostolic prefect Lecen also came to visit Dessalines in Turgeau.
Revolutions and Political Upheavals[]
During the Revolution of the Cacos in 1868, the revolutionaries from Pétion-Ville had established an advanced post in Turgeau. Several fights took place in which the Cacos gained the upper hand over the government troops, who were called “Zandolites” after the name of their leader.
On December 19, 1869, 9President Sylvain Salnave, beaten by the Cacos in Port-au-Prince, passed through Turgeau while retreating toward Pétion-Ville and the frontier.
On May 3, 1875, 14General Boisrond Canal took refuge in the house of the American consul E. D. Bassett in Turgeau. The day before the Fête de l’Agriculture (Labor Day), the government of 13President Michel Domingue had ordered the arrest of Generals Pierre Momplaisir-Pierre, Brice, and Boisrond Canal. The first two were captured in town and perished in the struggle. Boisrond Canal, then residing at his home in Frères, resisted the armed force sent against him and escaped into the woods. He later went into exile, returning after the fall of Domingue and eventually becoming President of Haiti.
Toward the Turn of the Century[]
Through the late 1800s, Turgeau evolved into one of Port-au-Prince’s favored addresses. Villas surrounded by fruit trees appeared along the slopes, linked by newly graded roads connecting Bourdon, Canapé-Vert, and Pacot. The period also saw the rise of civic and religious landmarks, including the Saint-Louis Chapel, commissioned by Louis Horelle.
By the 1880s, urban growth from the lower city had begun to merge with Turgeau’s hillside settlements. Cartographic surveys from the era show the first formal street alignments and a steady north-south expansion toward Fort National and Bois-Patate. The section’s mixed character—rural gardens, family estates, and growing residential streets—would lay the foundation for the “Gingerbread District” that would define Port-au-Prince architecture in the following century.
Turgeau had also entered Haiti’s literary imagination. The poet A. Fleury Battier dedicated a verse to the neighborhood in his collection Sous les Bambous, later praised by Paul Lochard, who wrote in response:
"So don't be afraid Turgeau, Mariani whose wave
caresses with pride the plain that it floods
Rolling her crystal through so many flowers;
All these charming places celebrated by your lyre,
Long after your death, rekindling your delirium,
Will pour out perfumes and flowers on you."
Original French:
Ne crains donc rien Turgeau, Mariani dont l'onde
caresse avec orgueil la plaine qu'elle inonde,
En roulant son cristal a travers tant de fleurs;
Tous ces lieux si charmants celebres par ta lyre,
Longtemps apres ta mort, ranpelant ton delire,
Feront sur toi verser des parfums et des fleurs."
20th Century (1900-2000)[]
House on John Brown Avenue; Turgeau, Haiti
At the dawn of the 20th century, Turgeau had become one of the most desirable quarters of Port-au-Prince. Its elevation, mild temperature, and proximity to the downtown core drew the city’s elite, professionals, and foreign diplomats. The area’s distinctive mix of architecture—spacious villas, wooden balconies, and ornate fretwork—defined what would later be called the Gingerbread District, which extended through Bois Verna, Pacot, and the neigborhood of Turgeau.
Early 1900s – Architecture and Institutions[]
Between 1900 and 1930, the district saw the construction of many of the city’s iconic gingerbread houses, designed by architects such as Georges Baussan, Joseph-Eugène Maximilien, and Léon Mathon. Their designs combined Caribbean climate adaptations—high ceilings, wide galleries, and lattice ventilation—with late-Victorian and Art Nouveau details.
Educational and religious institutions also expanded: Collège Saint-Louis de Bourdon and Saint-François d’Assise School became landmarks, while the Saint-Louis Chapel continued to serve the community as both church and civic anchor.
During the U.S. occupation of Haiti (1915-1934), Turgeau housed several administrative offices and residences for American personnel. New infrastructure, including paved roads and drainage canals, linked the district to the growing suburbs of Canapé-Vert, Pacot, and Bourdon. Electricity and telegraph services appeared early here compared with other parts of the capital.
Mid-Century Modernization[]
From the 1940s through the 1960s, Turgeau retained its status as a middle- and upper-class neighborhood while portions of lower slopes grew denser with new residents from the provinces. The construction of Hotel Montana on the Bourdon hilltop symbolized the modern era of Haitian hospitality, attracting foreign guests and officials. Embassies, NGO offices, and state ministries clustered around the upper avenues, giving Turgeau a dual character—residential in appearance but administrative in function.
The Duvalier era (1957-1986) brought both modernization and control. Security forces maintained a strong presence around Canapé-Vert and Fort National, while public works extended water, lighting, and transportation networks. The creation of the Bois Patate and Nazon housing areas reflected post-war population growth, though the influx of rural migrants also increased inequality between the formal upper hills and the crowded low-lying quarters.
Late 20th Century – Civic Shifts and Cultural Resilience[]
Domino's Pizza; Turgeau, Haiti
By the 1980s and 1990s, Turgeau was deeply woven into Port-au-Prince’s political and cultural life. The area hosted embassies, humanitarian agencies, and civic movements that participated in the transition from dictatorship to democracy. Streets such as Avenue John Brown (formerly Rue des Miracles) and Avenue Magloire Ambroise became major thoroughfares linking the city center to Pétion-Ville and Carrefour-Feuilles.
Despite recurring political unrest and periods of urban decline, the district retained an aura of historic prestige. Its gingerbread houses continued to attract artists, writers, and heritage advocates. Cultural associations began campaigning to preserve the architectural legacy that had survived fires, hurricanes, and decades of neglect.
By the close of the century, Turgeau embodied the contradictions of modern Port-au-Prince: elegant residences beside informal settlements, historic churches beside new ministries, and a population that mirrored the capital’s full social spectrum. These contrasts would define the challenges—and the resilience—that carried Turgeau into the 21st century.
Turgeau, Port-au-Prince Skyline
Turgeau; Home of Digicel Headquarters
Geography[]
Turgeau occupies the central-eastern sector of the City of Port-au-Prince, forming its first communal section. It lies between the historic downtown and the ascending foothills of the Morne l’Hôpital range, covering much of the city’s inner slopes and terraces. From the lower quarters of Bas Peu de Choses and La Saline, the terrain rises steadily through Fort National and Nazon, reaching higher elevations around Bourdon, Pacot, Debussy, and Canapé-Vert.
The section combines coastal proximity with hillside elevation, creating a patchwork of dense urban blocks, narrow ravines, and leafy residential enclaves. Elevations range from approximately 30 meters (98 ft) above sea level near the waterfront to more than 180 meters (590 ft) in the upper slopes of Bourdon and Canapé-Vert, offering broad views of the Bay of Port-au-Prince.
Communal section of Turgeau
Boundaries[]
Turgeau is bordered to the northwest by Varreux, within the commune of Cité Soleil, and to the north by Saint-Martin, the first communal section of Delmas. To the west, it meets the historic downtown of Port-au-Prince and the Bay of Port-au-Prince, which form the city’s coastal frontage and harbor zone. To the east, Turgeau transitions into Bellevue–Chardonnière, a hillside district belonging to the commune of Pétion-Ville.
Its southwestern edge adjoins Martissant, the third communal section of Port-au-Prince, while the southern boundary climbs into the Morne l’Hôpital foothills, designated as the city’s second communal section and an environmentally protected watershed. Further to the southeast, Turgeau borders Aux Cadets, the second communal section of Pétion-Ville, which connects the urban slopes of Bourdon and Debussy with the suburban plateau of Pétion-Ville itself.
A traditional footpath once traversed these hills, providing a direct route between Port-au-Prince and Pétion-Ville—an early reminder of the city’s gradual expansion from its coastal basin toward the interior slopes. It extends toward Étang du Jong, below Boutillier, through a narrow highland corridor that links the two communes.
Together, these boundaries position Turgeau at the geographic and administrative core of metropolitan Port-au-Prince—linking the port, the historic downtown, and the eastern hills into one continuous urban landscape.
Neighboring sections
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Hydrography and Natural Features[]
The section is traversed by several ravines that drain the slopes of the Morne l’Hôpital foothills, including Ravine Turgeau, Ravine Nazon, and Ravine Bourdon. The Source Turgeau spring, historically one of Port-au-Prince’s main water sources, has a flow rate of approximately 18 liters per second. Its limestone-rich water once caused sediment buildup in early cast-iron pipes, reducing pressure within the city’s network.
Vegetation is most prominent along the upper neighborhoods of Bourdon, Pacot, and Canapé-Vert, where mature fruit trees and gardens surround colonial villas and gingerbread houses. The lower quarters—particularly Bas Peu de Choses, Nazon, and Fort National—are more compactly built, with limited green space and greater vulnerability to runoff and erosion during the rainy season.
Climate[]
Turgeau enjoys a slightly cooler climate than the coastal plain. Average temperatures range between 26 °C and 31 °C (79–88 °F), with noticeably fresher evenings at higher altitudes. Rainfall follows the pattern of the Port-au-Prince basin, concentrated between April–June and September–November. The combination of sea breezes and mountain airflow produces periodic humidity changes but generally stable weather year-round.
Neighborhoods[]
Main article: Neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince
| 1. TUG 1re Section Turgeau
Bourdon, Boutilier, Canape-Vert, Deprez, Fort National, Turgeau. |
The 1re Section Communale de Turgeau encompasses a wide range of neighborhoods that capture the full spectrum of Port-au-Prince’s urban life—from the colonial-era villas of Pacot and Bois Verna to the dense hillside settlements of Desprez and Nazon. Each area reflects a different stage in the capital’s expansion, shaped by geography, architecture, and social diversity.
Bas Peu de Choses[]
One of the most densely populated quarters of Port-au-Prince, located near the Champ de Mars. It mixes informal housing with remnants of older colonial structures and maintains a lively street economy around its inner-city markets.
Bel-Air[]
Among the city’s oldest neighborhoods, Bel-Air occupies the slopes below Fort National. Long recognized for its revolutionary role and vibrant cultural life, it has also been a focal point of political organization and social struggle throughout Haiti’s modern history.
Bois-Patate[]
A hillside community bordering Canapé-Vert and Bourdon, Bois-Patate combines residential enclaves with schools and small businesses. Institutions such as the Modern School of Bois-Patate reflect its reputation as a middle-class educational corridor.
Bois Verna[]
Part of Port-au-Prince’s celebrated Gingerbread District, Bois Verna contains some of the finest examples of late-19th-century wooden architecture, including the restored Maison Dufort. The neighborhood remains a focal point for heritage preservation initiatives.
Bourdon[]
Following the valley that links Turgeau with Pétion-Ville, Bourdon is a steep corridor lined with embassies, schools, and villas. Its road network and elevation make it a vital artery between the lower city and the suburban plateau of Pétion-Ville.
Canapé-Vert[]
Situated east of Turgeau, Canapé-Vert hosts ministries, clinics, and residential blocks along Avenue Panaméricaine. Post-earthquake renewal projects such as solar-lighting installations have made it a symbol of modern urban resilience.
Croix-des-Bossales[]
Bordering the port and La Saline, Croix-des-Bossales was once the principal slave market of colonial Port-au-Prince. Today it remains the capital’s largest wholesale market and a key node in Haiti’s national food-distribution network.
Debussy[]
Located on the slopes between Turgeau and Pétion-Ville, Debussy is an upper-middle-class residential neighborhood characterized by villas, small hotels, and educational institutions. Despite recent population movements linked to insecurity, it retains a quiet suburban atmosphere.
Déprez (Croix-Desprez)[]
A hillside settlement within the Saint-Anne parish zone, Déprez (or Croix-Desprez) houses roughly 10 000 residents. Severely damaged by the 2010 earthquake, it was later rebuilt under the PARAD Project (2014–2016) led by GRET and Oxfam, which improved housing, drainage, and community infrastructure.
Fort National[]
Crowning the old Covin hill, Fort National was constructed in 1791 by the British, later renamed Fort Debelle, and finally dedicated as Fort Alexandre in honor of President Pétion, whose heart was interred there. It overlooks downtown Port-au-Prince and remains a significant historical landmark.
Haut-Turgeau[]
This upper portion of the Turgeau slopes offers leafy streets, hillside residences, and sweeping views of the bay. It links the civic core below with Bourdon and Debussy above, forming part of the city’s traditional residential belt.
La Saline[]
Stretching along the coast near the harbor, La Saline was once a saline plain used for public executions. It evolved into a densely populated low-income neighborhood and remains one of the busiest trading areas of lower Port-au-Prince.
Lalue[]
A compact neighborhood on the road to Pétion-Ville, Lalue contains the School and Boarding House of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny and a chapel dedicated to Saint Rose of Lima, whose feast is celebrated on August 30. The district’s residences and gardens contribute significantly to the city’s herbal and market trade.
Morne à Tuf[]
Centered near Rue des Casernes, Morne à Tuf is historically tied to the Sainte-Anne Parish, established in 1872. It hosts the parish church of Sainte-Anne, celebrated each July 26, and the Marché Debout, one of Port-au-Prince’s most active local markets.
Nazon[]
A vital transport corridor between downtown and Delmas, Nazon is characterized by dense housing and constant traffic. Its strategic position has made it both an economic hub and, in recent years, a focal point of urban insecurity.
Pacot[]
South of the city center, Pacot is renowned for its colonial villas and gingerbread houses. The neighborhood’s shaded avenues and cultural heritage make it a cornerstone of the Port-au-Prince Gingerbread District.
Pont Morin[]
Once a modest bridge crossing a stream in Bois-de-Chêne between Lalue and Turgeau, Pont Morin gained historical note in 1875 when General Boisrond Canal and his companions passed through the area while fleeing political persecution. The site’s existence as a named locality today is uncertain.
Portail Saint-Joseph[]
A historic entryway linking the downtown basin with the upper neighborhoods. It remains an important transport and commercial hub serving central Port-au-Prince.
Saint-Gérard[]
A small residential quarter noted for its church and school of the same name, Saint-Gérard bridges the lower civic center with the Lalue corridor, maintaining a calm, community-oriented character.
Solino[]
Situated close to Nazon, Solino is a vibrant residential area with deep community networks, active churches, and a history of musical and social movements indicative of the city’s cultural dynamism.
Turgeau (Quartier Turgeau)[]
The core neighborhood that lends its name to the entire communal section. It houses ministries, embassies, universities, and a mix of colonial and modern residences, representing the administrative heart of the Haitian capital.
Waute and Babiole[]
Historic localities mentioned in 19th-century parish records alongside Saint-Anne and Desprez. Though now largely integrated into surrounding districts, their names persist in older maps and property archives.
Canape Vert
Saint-Martin[]
Saint-Martin was originally the third rural section of the commune of Port-au-Prince and also known as Saint Joseph Parish. In the past, an old canal used to transport water from the Grande Riviere du Cul-de Sac to Saint Martin. However, over time, the canal became hidden by land. Various attempts have been made by different governments to restore or clean this canal. This task, although relatively simple, would greatly benefit agriculture in the area. Within the area, there are notable localities such as the Chancerelle and Saint Martin habitations.
• On February 5, 1802, during the French army's landing at Lamentin, the national fort sounded the alarm cannon, which led to the gathering of all the whites who had been arrested in Port-au-Prince. They were then taken to the Valembrun savannah (Champ de Mars) and Saint Martin, where they were mercilessly massacred.
Belair
Villa Rosa, a neighborhood of Turgeau
References[]
Haiti_SautdEau - Lexy Sewall Photography [1]
Visiting Champ de Mars & Le Plaza Hotel, Port Au Prince Haiti - SeeJeanty [2]
Sonley talks about Champs de Mars in Port-au-Prince, Haiti - Ready Here [3]
Chanmas (Champ de Mars) - ImagineLakay [4]
View of Haiti/ Turgeau, Port-au-Prince - Brother Love In Haiti [5]
Réhabilitation de la place Canapé Vert - Le Novelliste [6]
Canapé Vert plis ke yon katye, se yon istwa, video sa pou tout Ayisyen e sitou moun Canapé Vert - Pipo Saint Louis [7]