National Historic Landmark · ruins · Temwen Island, Federated States of Micronesia

Nan Madol

Ruined ancient city in the Federated States of Micronesia. Added to the National Register in 1974, and a National Historic Landmark.

Has a visitor websiteNational Historic LandmarkListed 1974
110705-O-ZZ999-007 (5914132920)HH1883 pg076 Nanmatal, PonapeD194- murs cyclopéens en basalte - L1-Ch4Detail of a wall constructed of columnar basalt pieces at Nan Madol
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 6 in the Commons category

What it is

Nan Madol is an archaeological site adjacent to the eastern shore of the island of Pohnpei, now part of the Madolenihmw district of Pohnpei state in the Federated States of Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean. Nan Madol was the capital of the Saudeleur dynasty until about 1628. The city, constructed in a lagoon, consists of a series of small artificial islands linked by a network of canals. The site core with its stone walls encloses an area approximately 1.5 by 0.5 kilometres and it contains 92 artificial islets—stone and coral fill platforms—bordered by tidal canals.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Property typeHistoric district
AddressE side of Temwen Island, Temwen Island, FM
CountyPonape County
ListedDec 19, 1974
Listed forPrehistoric archaeology, Native archaeology of the historic period, Engineering, Politics and government, Architecture
Level of significanceNational
Reference number74002226
Type of placeruins, archaeological site, artificial island
DesignationsWorld Heritage Site, National Historic Landmark
Contributing resources90 structures, 5 sites
StandingYes

The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗

Visiting

AddressE side of Temwen Island, Temwen Island, FM
Websitenan-madol.com ↗
Coordinates6.8445° N, 158.3355° E · Directions ↗
Nearest national park unitAmerican Memorial Park · 1033 miles · on Park Atlas
A district listing covers the streets, not the doors. Walk it freely; the buildings inside are as private as they ever were.

Explore

Map

Reference

Questions people ask

When was Nan Madol listed on the National Register?

Dec 19, 1974. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.

Source: National Park Service

Can I visit Nan Madol?

Probably. Places of this type are usually open to the public, but the record lists no hours; the official website will have them.

Source: Official website

Where is Nan Madol?

E side of Temwen Island, Temwen Island, Ponape County, Federated States of Micronesia. The nearest national park unit is American Memorial Park, 1033 miles away.

Source: American Memorial Park

What does the Nan Madol listing include?

The listing counts 95 contributing resources. Those are 90 structures and 5 sites. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.

Source: National Park Service

Where is the nomination form for Nan Madol?

The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.

Source: National Archives

Sources

Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 74002226. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.