Martello Tower

Three of the five Martello Towers erected by the British between 1832 and 1835 at Grand River North West, Black River, and Port Louis have survived. The British chose to construct five Martello Towers along Mauritius' west coast as a coastal defense building in the event of an invasion by the French, who were displeased with the British desire to abolish slavery at the time.

One was discovered in Tamarin, another in L'Harmonie (now a national monument), one in la Preneuse, one in Fort Victoria, and the last one, Cunningham's Tower. The Martello Towers never took part in any military operations. Between 1880 and 1902, the Cunningham Tower vanished, and information regarding the tower at Fort Victoria was last documented in 1880. According to oral histories, the Tamarin tower was abandoned in the 1930s and the site was strewn with cannon balls.

Towers 3, 4, and 5 are still standing. Cunningham Tower was built to defend Fort George from the sides and rear while it was being built. It was decommissioned around 1921, although it was remarkable in that it featured three cannons when the rest of the towers only had one since most Martello Towers were designed to offer 360-degree coverage. In addition, Tower 1 was substantially bigger. Tower 2 was located in Fort Victoria, which now houses a power plant. The battery's ruins may still be seen, but the Martello Tower has long since vanished.

Location: Black River, Mauritius