Discover Kolonia

Kolonia’s historical sites range from the remains of Spanish fortifications to memorial sites from the German period and buildings from Japanese rule. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, you can first decide what to focus on during your trip: Are you interested in architecture, religious building history, or places tied to specific historical memories? These sites offer different ways to explore Pohnpei’s more recent history.

Fortification remains and buildings from different periods

The Spanish Wall is a remnant of Fort Alphonso XIII, construction of which began in late 1887. Dark stone remains of the outer wall, built under Spanish rule, now border a park and a playing field in Kolonia. The Spanish Wall was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 19, 1974.

The Chief Agriculturist House also connects Kolonia with the early Japanese period: it was built in the mid-1920s. It is considered one of the finest buildings from this period on Pohnpei and is described as significant to the development of Pohnpei and Micronesia.

The Japanese Elementary School for Pohnpeian Children was probably built in 1920 or 1921. The building and grounds are in an area that would have been enclosed by Fort Alphonso during the Spanish occupation; they are also described as significant to two periods in Pohnpei’s more recent history. This connection distinguishes the site from a building whose history is associated with just one period of rule.

Memorial sites and memories of events

The Sokehs Mass Grave in Kolonia is the burial place of 15 Pohnpeian volunteers. German soldiers rounded them up on February 24, 1911, shot them, and buried them on top of one another. The Sokehs Mass Grave Site in Komwonlaid, Kolonia, was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on September 30, 1976.

The German Cemetery commemorates events from the period of German occupation on Pohnpei. Two German governors are buried there: one died in 1907 on the same day he uncovered the grave of the first king; the other was killed on October 18, 1910. The cemetery thus connects the memory of two governors with different recorded events and dates.

Religious building history and traces of the Japanese period

The Catholic Bell Tower is the largest surviving structure built by the German administration in Kolonia. It belonged to a church erected by Capuchin missionaries in 1909, during the German period. The church building was lost in World War II; the tower and the masonry apse survived. The Catholic Bell Tower, Catholic Mission, was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on November 25, 1980.

The Japanese Shrine in Kolonia was built in the early 1920s as a place for prayer and worship. Another glimpse into the history of the Japanese period can be found behind the ACE Hardware store: there is a row of Japanese army tanks left behind after the Pacific War. They are believed to be Type 95 light tanks; they were gathered there during postwar disarmament.

The Japanese Hydro-Electric Power Plant site was also home to a German experimental forestry station and once held abundant deposits of flat stones. These stones were used in traditional Sakau, or Kava, ceremonies on Pohnpei.

Make Kolonia the focus of your trip

If these historic sites are the focus of your trip, you can narrow your vacation rental search to Kolonia. According to the provider, the History Discovery Tour offers guided visits to attractions in Kolonia. Tours and new bookings are currently suspended; reopening is expected to be announced. If you’re planning to take the tour, check the provider’s latest information in advance.

For the broader travel overview: Pohnpei.