The islands of the southern part of the Pacific Ocean are known as a tropical paradise. But many of them have a long history and a unique national culture. Talietumu is an archeological site on the Polynesian islands of Wallis and Futuna. It is the only place on the planet cherishing the memory of the destroyed ancient Tongan Kingdom.

Talietumu, also known as Kolo Nui, is a fortress and a ceremonial center. The internal buildings are surrounded by thick walls of volcanic black basalt layers. There are several entrances in the walls reaching about 1.5-2 meters in height. Basalt stones are connected without the use of a solution. Despite this fact, they are very solid. Inside and around the fortress there are several basalt paths. 

Behind the defensive walls, is located the constructions which function is still unknown. Inside them, there are basements used for the traditional Tongan houses’ building. Unfortunately, the buildings have not been preserved. But the archaeologists made a copy of the ancient tribes’ houses. Now it is installed on the territory of the nature reserve. 

In the very heart of the fortress is located a round ceremonial platform called Marae or Male, which means “sacred place”. It is also made of basalt stone and installed on a wooden paling. There the monarch or the chief performed rites and rituals. Around it, you can notice the uplifted paths. They were constructed only for the monarch. He was considered a demigod, that is why his feet could not touch the ground, unlike subjects.

The ruined Talietumu is considered the last "trace" of the Tongan Empire, which ceased to exist in 1535, after the murder of Takalaua King. Armed spies assaulted the monarch, while he was swimming in the lagoon of Mua, in the ancient capital of Tonga.

Talietumu is located 5.6 miles away from the capital, Mata Utu. Tourists come there every day to be transported to the past for a few hours when the ancient tribes lived freely.

The fortress was built around 1450, during the expansion of the Tongan empire. Ancient tribes wanted to expand their lands in that part of the Pacific Ocean. After the empire ceased to exist, this place was left for a long time.

Only at the end of the last century, French archaeologists Daniel Frimigacci, Jean-Pierre Siorat, and Maurice Hardy, working in the CNRS Science Center, began to restore the ancient monument. They spent several years on a reconstruction of the central platform using original methods. The work was done in 1997. Now, the height of the platform is about 5 meters, and the length is about 80 meters.