PHOTO: Pamela Geller
Sans-Souci Palace, Milot, Northern Haiti. Local school girls wander their backyard, the ruins of Sans-Souci Palace. In 1810, after declaring himself king in the north, Henri Christophe conscripted his subjects — Haitians who had recently gained their freedom during the only successful slave revolt in history (1791-1804)–to construct a royal residence. Today, Sans-Souci Palace comprises part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Parc National Historique. Though in ruins, Milot’s contemporary inhabitants navigate the palace’s roofless rooms and associated structures on a daily basis. They flow easily in and out of fenced off spaces, and their modern homes rest atop its foundations.