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Saint-Denis

General Information about Saint-Denis

Saint-Denis is the capital and largest city of Reunion, an island located in the Indian Ocean that is also a French oversea territory. Saint-Denis was discovered in 1669 by Etienne Regnault and later became the capital of Reunion island in 1738. Saint-Denis is the most populated commune in any French overseas territory with a population of over 133,700 people.

Saint-Denis has many interesting attractions including the Musee Leon Dierx, the Natural History Museum, the Cirques and Piton de la Fournaise. Also in Saint-Denis are many temples, mosques, churches and a cathedral which represent the many cultures and religious beliefs within the city.

The Musee Leon Dierx is one of the most popular attractions in Saint-Denis and on the island of Reunion. The Musee Leon Dierx houses a vast collection of modern art and French impressionist paintings with works by Gaugin, Picasso, Morisot and Matisse. Before his death in 1939, most of the works in the Musee Leon Dierx belonged to French art-dealer Ambroise Vollard. His brother Lucien donated the art to the museum shortly after his death.

The Natural Museum in Saint-Denis was the first of it's kind in the Indian Ocean and was opened in 1855. This museum has various exhibits of animals and creatures from Saint-Denis and the surrounding area such as rare birds and mammals. The museum also houses a collection of books and engravings. After devestating cyclones destroyed many of the collections the museum was closed for a few years. Today the Natural History Museum has an impressive collection of over 42,000 specimens and is located within the State Gardens.

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