Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park

Brimstone Hill Fortress was once a major British garrison, but in 1850 it was abandoned and slowly deteriorated. After a fire swept through Basseterre, what was left of the fortress was partially dismantled, to be used as building materials to repair the damages in the capital. In the 1960's the fortress was restored and returned to its original state. Nowadays it's a protected monument and the area around it is called Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park.

The fortress' main hilltop compound is known as the Citadel. It is lined with 24 cannons and from its top you'll have excellent views over Sint Eustatius (Netherlands Antilles) and Sandy Point Town on Saint Kitts. The old barrack rooms have been converted into a museum that includes displays on the island's colonial history. In the museum you can see old cannonballs, swords and other artifacts, as well as a small collection of Amerindian adzes, some ancient pottery fragments and an interesting explanation on the Carib petroglyphs found in Old Road Town.

The hill on which the fortress stands is Brimstone Hill. It is a 24 m (800 feet) volcanic cone and it got its name from the smell that you will probably detect when driving past the hill along the Circle-Island Road. The smell comes from sulfur vents.

Brimstine Hill Fortress National Park is 10 km northwest of Basseterre.