What Is La Tour Koenig?
This structure is the centerpiece of the Nelson Mandela Centre for African Culture!
What Makes It Historical?
Between 1826 and 1838, Alexis Henry Koenig added land to his 350-acre estate, Grand Rivière. While he had been born on Mauritius in 1799, his dad, Jean Antoine, had immigrated here from Bavaria, so as a gift to the senior Koenig, Alexis built him a Limousin stonework tower meant to resemble a Bavarian windmill! Unfortunately, construction was never finished, and it’s suspected that it stopped because a worker fell from the tower and died! Alternately, the government may have stopped it because its lights, so close to the port, could have confused inbound sailors and led to shipwrecks! Today, La Tour Koenig is still standing as the namesake of a whole neighborhood and since 1986, the headquarters of a cultural center!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
La Tour Koenig
Pointe aux Sables
Mauritius, 11110
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The tower is open weekdays from 9:00 AM until 2:30 PM!