The Saint Pierre & Saint Paul Cathedral in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, nicknamed the Iron Cathedral, is an emblematic building featuring a prefabricated metal structure made in the workshops of Gustave Eiffel and assembled in downtown Pointe-à-Pitre in 1872. It was built to withstand cyclones and earthquakes.
The first version of the building did not survive the earthquake of February 8, 1843, when in less than two minutes the city was leveled by violent tremors followed by devastating fires. During this major earthquake, with an estimated magnitude between 8.5 and 8.8 on the Richter scale, the city was almost completely destroyed, causing more than 3,000 deaths and immense material damage.
Recognizable by its metal framework, its interior is majestic. The site has been classified as a historical monument since 1976.