History lessons at the Queen's Palace

This week, the CM2 class went to the Queen's Palace for their history lesson.

Perched on one of the highest hills in Antananarivo, the Rova is a fortified royal enclosure that can be seen for miles around. It was built in the 17th century under the Merina dynasty, which ruled Madagascar for several centuries.

The Queen's Palace, where kings and queens have succeeded one another, has played a crucial role in the country's history. It has become the heart of Madagascar's political and cultural life.

After independence, the site was transformed into a museum, but in 1995, the Queen's Palace was the scene of a violent fire that destroyed its roof and many of its collections.

Today, the site, which reopened its doors in 2023, is not only a major historical site, but also an important symbol of Madagascar's national identity.

Pupils like those at the School of the Little Giants can come and admire collections of art and historical objects, and gain a better understanding of their country's cultural and political heritage.

As well as an outdoor history lesson, for most of the pupils in the class it was their first outing to a historic site, and the first time they had gazed in wonder at their great city of Antananarivo from the top of the Palace.