Using coral – In the past |17 June 2026

Using coral – In the past

The launch of the ICOMOS Seychelles project to preserve the seawall at Fienne’s l’Esplanade – particularly its shaped coral parapet, now 107 years old – reminds us of how coral, sourced from reefs surrounding the islands, was once a vital building material in 19th‑century Seychelles, and remained so well into the 1960s. This article is not intended as a call to exploit the remaining reefs, but rather as an educational reflection on the role coral played in shaping our urban and architectural heritage.

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