Editing Port Louis (section)

==Architecture==
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[[File:Government House Port Louis.JPG|thumb|Government House, built in 1738]]
[[File:Mauritius 23.08.2009 13-56-13.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Caudan Waterfront]], commercial development in Port Louis.]]
The city is full of numerous buildings and monuments that reflect its rich and diverse colonial history. Near the city centre, there are several French colonial buildings that date to the 18th century, including the Government House. Other prominent traditional elements include the Jummah Mosque, the majestic English Saint James Cathedral, the Indian Tamil Temple, the elegant five-tier colonial Port Louis Theatre (Théâtre de Port-Louis), the [[Champ de Mars Racecourse]], and the nearby Chinese Pagoda. Also present are some typical houses from past eras, which are mostly wooden structures with shuttered windows and large porches. However, many historic buildings are in a poor state of repair and are being quickly replaced with homes and commercial structures constructed from more durable but less sustainable materials such as concrete, and the city now includes many glass/concrete high-rises.

===Chinatown===
{{main|Chinatown, Port Louis, Mauritius}}
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The Pagoda is a central feature of the Port Louis Chinatown, which is one of several [[Chinatowns in Africa]]. Its entrance is marked by a large "friendship" gate, just east of the Central Market. The site was the traditional location of homes and shops of the Chinese community, which was dominated by descendants of the [[Hakka Chinese]], who first came to Mauritius in 1826.

[[File:Chinatown, Port Louis, Mauritius 1860s.jpg|thumb|alt=Oderuth vintage Art|A typical Chinatown of Port Louis in the 1860s]]

Chinatown is now home to a more diverse community, but preserves its original appearance and contains many small shops and restaurants. Its old buildings and Chinese pagodas face the modern buildings of the city's business centre. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce (founded in 1908 and second only to Singapore as the world's oldest{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}) hosts a popular food and cultural festival each April or May. The Chamber also runs a funeral parlour for the Chinese Community called 'Kit Lok', to provide vigil facilities for bereaved families.