Gangs in control of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, burned the historic Hotel Oloffson to the ground over the weekend amid a clash with police in the neighborhood. The hotel had been a gathering place for generations and a center for art and music.

It also drew celebrity attention, including visits from Mick Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor, and was a frequent hub for Western journalists and tourists.

The hotel stood as an icon of Haiti’s gingerbread architecture, which includes intricate wood details, lattice work, spires and wrap-around balconies. Built in the late 19th century, it had survived political upheaval, weather events and the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 people.

According to Harold Isaac, a reporter based in Port-au-Prince, the loss of the hotel was something nobody believed would happen, and is a symbol of life in Haiti currently.

“People tend to say Haiti is a failed country,” Isaac said. “But honestly, from the perspective of folks here, Haiti is a country that has been failed.”

The hotel had been closed since 2022, due in large part to the rising gang violence in the city.

The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Isaac about the iconic hotel.

Click on the blue player above to hear their discussion.

AP contributed to this report.