Lake Anosy

Lake Anosy in the centre of Antananarivo was originally a swamp. In 1830 an artificial lake was created from it and an islet was constructed in the middle to establish a blacksmith workshop in a location so as to minimise the risk of fire that this could cause the city by this line of occupation where wood and tached roofs were abundant. Later, the island was used to store explosive powder, which could otherwise also cause a risk to the city wher most houses are built by wood.

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Today, the island is a monument to commemorate victims of World War 1 in which many Malagasy people died fighting on the front line for France. A small fee to enter the island applies, with a slightly higher price for foreign tourists than for locals.