Jacmel
Jacmel
Jakmèl (Haitian Creole) Yaquimel (Arawakan Name) | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames: Culture Capital, City of Artists | |
| Motto: Sursum Corda | |
Interactive map of Jacmel | |
Jacmel Location in Haiti | |
| Coordinates: 18°14′7″N 72°32′12″W / 18.23528°N 72.53667°W | |
| Country | Haiti |
| Department | Sud-Est |
| Commune | Jacmel |
| Demonym | Jacmelien(ne) |
| Founded by Spain | 1504 |
| French settlement | 1698 |
| Founded by | Nicolás de Ovando |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Marky Kessa |
| Area | |
• Total | 443.88 km2 (171.38 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 43 m (141 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 221,965 |
| • Density | 500.06/km2 (1,295.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| Postal code | HT 9110 |
Jacmel (French pronunciation: [ʒakmɛl] ⓘ; Haitian Creole: Jakmèl) is a commune in southern Haiti previously founded by the Spanish in 1504 before the relocation of dominicans to the eastern side of the island after the Devastation of Osorio and repopulated by the French in 1698. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est, 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Port-au-Prince across the Tiburon Peninsula, and had a population of 221,965 at the 2024 Census. The town's name is derived from its indigenous Taíno name of Yaquimel. In 1925, Jacmel was dubbed as the "City of Light," becoming the first in the Caribbean to have electricity.
The city is known for its well-preserved Gingerbread houses built in the early 19th century. The town has been tentatively accepted as a World Heritage Site. It sustained damage in the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Jacmel is home to the country's leading film school, the Ciné Institute.