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Willemstad is the capital and largest city of Curaçao. It’s a scenic city with lots to discover.
Introduction to Willemstad
The city was founded in 1634 after the Dutch West India Company took the island from Spain, and the first time the name Willemstad was mentioned was in 1680. It sits at the mouth of a natural harbor, St. Anna Bay, and profited from the slave trade. Today, around 90% of the island’s population lives there.
The historic city center, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, consists of four districts – Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo, and Pietermaai. The unique colorful architecture is the city’s signature attraction, and there are plenty of historic sites, shops, and restaurants.
St. Anna Bay
St. Anna Bay (Sint Annabaai) is a deep channel about 1,000 feet wide and roughly a mile long. It splits the historic city center in two, separating the districts of Punda and Otrobanda. The Caribbean Sea is on the south end while the Schottegat lagoon is on the north end. Two bridges cross the bay.
Queen Emma Bridge
The Queen Emma Bridge (Dutch: Koningin Emmabrug, Papiamento: Brùg di Ponton) is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Willemstad. This pontoon bridge was originally built in 1888 and renovated in 1939, 1961, 1983-1986, and 2005-2006. It’s named for Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont.
The Queen Emma Bridge is 167 meters (548 feet) long and 9.8 meters (32 feet) wide. It was a toll bridge from 1901 to 1934, and only pedestrians without shoes were allowed to cross for free. Lighting arches were installed in 1955 to honor the royal visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. The bridge was open to vehicle traffic until 1974, when the Queen Juliana Bridge opened.
The bridge periodically swings open to allow vessels to pass. An operator in a shelter on the Punda side controls two diesel engines turning propellers. They push the bridge parallel to the shore on the Otrobanda side in just a few minutes. At the same time, ferries carry pedestrians across the water free of charge. It’s fun to watch in action.
Queen Juliana Bridge
The Queen Juliana Bridge (Koningin Julianabrug) is a 4-lane road spanning 500 meters (1,640.4 feet) with a height of 56.4 meters (185.0 feet). It opened on April 30, 1974, allowing for a high volume of vehicles to cross between Punda and Otrobanda. The bridge is named for Queen Juliana of the Netherlands.
Punda, Willemstad
The district of Punda is where the original settlement of Willemstad was built. The original Dutch name was de Punt, and it was built as a walled city. This is where you’ll find most of the colorful buildings as well as lots of shopping.
Handelskade
Handelskade is the most picturesque part of Punda and all of Willemstad. It’s a stretch along the waterfront lined with colorful 18th century buildings reminding visitors of Curaçao’s Dutch colonial heritage.
The reason behind the color of the buildings has an interesting story. In the early 19th century, one of the island’s Dutch governors complained that the sun reflecting off the whitewashed buildings gave him migraines and could eventually lead to blindness. As a result, he decreed all buildings should be painted in a color other than white. However, it’s also rumored he profited from the move thanks to an investment in a local paint factory! All that aside, his decree gave us the brilliant multicolored buildings we see today.
The best views of Handelskade are from the middle of Queen Emma Bridge. You can also see it from Otrobanda across St. Anna Bay. If you want to kill some time, you can sit at one of the outdoor cafés lining the waterfront. Fair warning – the food and service typically aren’t that great, but the scenery is worth a stop.
Penha Building
The most photogenic building on Handelskade is the Penha Building, which was constructed as a merchant’s home between 1708 and 1733. It’s the finest example of Baroque architecture on Curaçao. The building sits on the corner of Handelskade closest to the bridge and houses a duty free shop.
Fort Amsterdam
Fort Amsterdam is the oldest building on the island. It was commissioned by Dutch admiral Johannes van Walbeeck (1602-after 1649) shortly after he took Curaçao on behalf of the Dutch West India Company, with the purpose of protecting the settlement and harbor from privateers and other threats.
The fort, which was built by Dutch soldiers and slaves from Angola, was completed in 1635 or 1636. It was designed with three-meter-wide walls and five bastions, but only four were built. Cannons pointed towards the sea.
Fort Amsterdam housed the director of the Dutch West India Company, troops, a church, warehouses, and water cisterns. Most of Willemstad’s residents also lived inside until the city eventually grew beyond the walls. Today, it continues to serve as the center of Curaçao’s government.
On June 8, 1929, 250 soldiers led by Venezuelan rebel Rafael Simón Urbina (1897-1950) captured the fort and plundered weapons, ammunition, and the treasury. They also kidnapped the Governor, Leonard Albert Fruytier (1882-1972), and took him to Venezuela on the stolen American ship Maracaibo. Due to the raid, the Dutch government decided to permanently station soldiers and ships on the island.
Governor’s Palace
The Governor’s Palace (Gouverneurspaleis) is the most prominent building at Fort Amsterdam. It was built atop the entrance of the fort after 1635. It originally served as the residence of the director of the Dutch West India Company and is still the official residence of the Governor of Curaçao. The building obtained its Neoclassical style during a renovation in 1868.
Fort Church
The Fort Church (De Fortkerk), opposite the Governor’s Palace, was constructed on the site of a former warehouse of the Dutch West India Company between 1763 and 1771. It has been the center of the island’s Protestant community ever since.
The church measures 20.5 x 13.25 meters, which is a relatively small space, but makes up for it with high ceilings. The current stone tower replaced the original wooden square tower in 1903. The organ dates to 1963.
In 1992, the vestry was converted to a museum. It displays artifacts and treasures of the Protestant community of Curaçao. You’ll also have the chance to peek into the cistern. Admission is US$5 for adults and US$2.50 for kids age 6-14 (as of January 2025).
Pay special attention to the façade if you visit the Fort Church. During an attack under British Naval Officer John Bligh (1770-1831) in 1804, the church was hit by a cannonball that’s still embedded above the left entrance. The cannonball was fired from Fort Waakzaamheid in Otrobanda.
Waterfort
Waterfort, built next to Fort Amsterdam between 1826 and 1830, was part of an updated defensive ring around Willemstad along with Rif Fort across St. Anna Bay. The plans were only partially carried out due to high costs and the fort never saw action.
Waterfort consisted of a 400-meter defensive wall along the coast, measuring 5 meters high and 2.5 meters thick. It featured 69 barrel-vaulted gun basements, each 7.5 meters deep and 5 meters wide. In 1955, a hotel was built in the courtyard, and there are currently restaurants and shops in the arches.
Breedestraat
Breedestraat, one of the principal streets in Punda along with Handelskade, links the waterfront with Wilhelminaplein. It’s lined with several colorful 18th century Baroque buildings. They host mostly souvenir and clothing shops.
Da Costa Gomezplein
About halfway down Breedestraat is Da Costa Gomezplein. It’s a leafy square lined with a few shops and restaurants. Notice the building at the corner with Breedestraat. It has bells and a clock on the side.
The square is named for Dr. Moises Frumencio Da Costa Gomez (1907-1966), the first Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles. He’s considered a hero of social rights and an author of the country’s political structure. A statue was erected in his honor in 1973.
Wilhelminaplein
Wilhelminaplein is a square on the other end of Breedestraat. The area was called “outside-the-city-gate” until the city walls were demolished in 1860, and it sat empty until the second half of the 19th century. The square, named for Queen Wilhelmina, was laid out in 1899. A monument dedicated to Wilhelmina sits in the center.
The square is surrounded by Dutch colonial buildings as well as a couple government buildings. You’re likely to find it full of tourists posing in front of the Curaçao and Dushi signs.
Town Hall
The Town Hall (Stadhuis) sits on the south side of Wilhelminaplein. It was built between 1858 and 1860. It was originally supposed to have a tower rising from the central section, but it was never constructed due to high costs. The building was designed to house the Colonial Council, the Court of Justice, and a prison. The prison was relocated to another area of the island in 1960. Today, the eastern part houses Parliament while the Court of Justice occupies the western part.
Temple Emanu-El
Temple Emanu-El is near Wilhelminaplein. It was built between 1865 and 1867 by the Dutch Reformed Israeli Community Emanu-El, which had separated from the Orthodox Mikvé Israel community. The two Sephardic communities reunited in 1963 and the temple was closed for services. The Jewish community sold the building in 1989, and in 1995 it was restored to house the offices of the Public Prosecution Service.
Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue
A few blocks away is the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue (Mikvé Israël-Emanuelsynagoge). Commonly known as Snoa, it’s the oldest continuously operating synagogue in the Americas. It’s open to visitors Monday through Friday. Admission is US$10 per person (as of January 2025) and includes entry to the museum. To visit, ring the bell and have a valid ID ready to present to the security guard.
The Jewish community in Curaçao can trace its roots back to Spanish and Portuguese Jews who arrived from the Netherlands in 1651. Another group of settlers arrived in 1659, bringing a Torah scroll donated by the Amsterdam Portuguese Jewish community.
The congregation used six different locations to worship until the construction on the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue began in 1730. It was consecrated in 1732 and features high vaulted ceilings and chandeliers as well as a Holy Ark carved out of mahogany. The floor is covered in sand to remind worshippers how their Jewish ancestors on the Iberian peninsula “covered the floors of their makeshift prayer houses so that their footsteps would be muffled and the suspicion of potential denouncers would not be aroused”.
The Jewish Historical Cultural Museum is attached to the synagogue. It chronicles the history of the Jewish community on Curaçao, complete with artifacts and an explanation of Jewish traditions. Photos are forbidden inside the museum.
Next to the museum entrance is a mikvah, or ritual bath, discovered during the building’s renovation in 1969. It was likely installed before the 1674 arrival of Rabbi Pardo to serve the congregation. The mikvah was use until at least 1870.
Floating Market
On the northern edge of Punda, bordering a natural harbor called the Waaigat, is the Floating Market. This vibrant market is where merchants from Venezuela come every morning to sell their goods.
While the market itself doesn’t float, behind the stalls you can see the boats that made the roughly 40-mile trip from Venezuela. Most of the goods are fruits, vegetables, and fresh fish, but you can also find clothing and souvenirs. There were even a couple stalls selling smoothies, coffee, and cocktails when we passed by.
Maduro & Curiel’s Bank
Across the street from the west end of the Floating Market is the main office of Maduro & Curiel’s Bank, or MCB. It was built between 1916 and 1917 and has since been expanded. The bank was founded by Joseph Alvarez-Correa and his in-laws, the Maduro family, in 1916 as the first commercial bank on Curaçao. It continues to be the leading financial institution in the Dutch Caribbean.
Heerenstraat 35
Finally, hidden in the corner across the street from the bank is Heerenstraat 35. It’s the remaining half of a twin building constructed around 1750. It’s the oldest of three surviving similar merchant homes built in the same mid-18th century Baroque style featuring a series of arches with a central decoration atop the building.
Otrobanda, Willemstad
Otrobanda is the district across St. Anna Bay from Punda. In 1707, the Dutch West India Company granted permission for settlement in the area, although some houses already existed there. It quickly developed as a suburb of Willemstad. The name means “the opposite side” in Papiamento.
Today, Otrobanda is considered the cultural heart of the city and is still predominantly a residential district. You’ll find some of the city’s best restaurants, shopping, and museums there, as well as plenty of accommodation.
Briónplein
Briónplein is the main square in Otrobanda. It sits at the west end of the Queen Emma Bridge. The first houses of Otrobanda were built on the western side of the square in the early 18th century. Most of the original buildings burned down during riots in 1969, and the entire square was remodeled in 1997.
The square was named for Admiral Luis Brión (1782-1821), a Curaçao native who fought with Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) for the independence of Venezuela and Gran Colombia from Spain. A monument to Brión stands on the north side of the square.
On the east side of Briónplein is St. Anna Bay. You’ll find an impressive clay plaque created by Frank Van der Loo in 1988.
Rif Fort
Rif Fort is south of Briónplein. It was built between 1826 and 1828 along with Waterfort across the bay in Punda. It’s named for a narrow strip of land between the sea and Rifwater, which is now filled in. The fort never saw action.
The walls of Rif Fort are 5 meters high and 2.5 meters thick. There were 26 barrel-vaulted gun basements on the ground level, each 7.5 meters deep and 5 meters wide. There was also a bomb-proof room that held a chain that could prevent entrance to St. Anna Bay.
An open battery sat atop the vaults of Rif Fort. The only surviving building is a former guard house with a living quarters. It was built around 1840.
After 1915, Rif Fort housed a telegraphy station and public service offices. It sat empty for much of the second half of the 20th century until 2001, when it was restored as a shopping and entertainment center. Today, there are several popular restaurants and shops located inside.
On the north and south sides of Rif Fort, you can climb up to the top. The best views are from the north side, where you can see the Queen Emma Bridge and Punda district.
Finally, in front of the north entrance is a monument to politician Dr. Efraïn Jonckheer (1917-1987). He served as the second Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles.
Renaissance Resort & Mall
The Renaissance Resort sits behind Rif Fort. The resort consists of a casino, bars, elevated “infinity beach”, and small park with a playground. The path from the Curaçao Cruise Terminal leads through the resort property.
The mall is a strip of shops along a broad avenue lined by palm trees. There are more shops behind the hotel. Most of the shops sell brand name clothing and accessories. You’ll also find overpriced luxury brands and a Starbucks. The shops are typically open until 6pm daily except Sundays.
Basilica of St. Anne
Back on the north side of Briónplein, a few steps down Breedestraat is the Basilica of St. Anne (Papiamento: Basilika Santa Ana; Dutch: Basiliek Santa Ana). It was built between 1734 and 1752 and was elevated to a minor basilica in 1975 by Pope Paul VI.
From 1848 to 1958, it was a pro-cathedral. Today, it’s the co-cathedral of the Diocese of Willemstad and one of the world’s smallest Catholic basilicas.
Kura Hulanda Museum
The Kura Hulanda Museum is perhaps the finest museum on Curaçao. It’s an anthropological museum specializing in the Atlantic slave trade and West African empires. The museum opened in April 1999 and consists of 15 buildings. Admission is US$12 for adults, US$7 for kids age 6-12, and free for kids under 6 (as of January 2025). It’s open 8am to 4pm Monday through Saturday and 9am to 2pm on Sundays.
The main buildings of the museum were built in 1886 by Augustin Bethencourt Jr. (d. 1905). In the beginning of the 20th century, Barberina van der Dijs, better known as Shon Anina, rented the main house. She was famous for her baking skills and used it as a pastry store for many years. It was later occupied by Annie Ecury-Ernst, a foster daughter of Shon Anina and mother of the Aruban war hero Boy Ecury (1922-1944).
Gorée Square
The exhibition starts at Gorée Square on the opposite end of the courtyard. The building on the square is the former embarkation station of the Dutch West India Company and slave prison of Gorée Island off the coast of Dakar, Senegal.
Opposite the building is a pair of slave pillars used for whipping slaves with an attached night bell. Nearby is an original water jug for the slaves of Kura Hulanda. On the other end of the square is an original cabin used by plantain workers on Curaçao.
Slave Trade Exhibit
Inside the embarkation station are the first two rooms of the slave trade exhibit. The first room begins with the onset of the Atlantic slave trade with the Portuguese and Venetians and continues with the Dutch, who eventually dominated the market. On display are artifacts such as shackles, uniforms of slave traders, illustrations, documents, and firsthand accounts of the horrible conditions slaves had to endure.
The next room contains a replica cargo load of a slave ship. It gives a look at how slaves were packed into the ships with barely any room to move. Also on display are certificates of ownership for slaves on Curaçao. The Emancipation Declaration of July 1, 1863, granted freedom to the slaves on the island.
On the other side of the room are lithographs by German artist Johann Moritz Rugendas (1802-1858). While on a scientific expedition to Brazil, he sketched depictions of the lives of African slaves in the 19th century. He compiled the drawings into the Pictorial Voyage of Brazil published in Paris in 1835. They capture the human characteristics of daily slave life, from the harsh conditions and cruelty to lighter moments such as dance and domestic life, as well as the physical characteristics of Brazil. Most of the original drawings were displayed in Munich, but over 600 were purchased in 1928 and returned to Brazil.
Slavery in Suriname and the United States
The next exhibit covers slavery in Suriname, with more artifacts and illustrations on display. A very large room covers slavery and abolition in the United States, including the Civil Rights movement. Finally, a small room delves into the world’s current slavery situation, especially human trafficking.
West African Empires
The building on the north side of the courtyard exhibits artifacts from West African Empires. It contains some of the most impressive artifacts in the museum. They reflect both the cultures and religions of these empires. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
Dogon Culture
A small building on the east side of the courtyard is filled with artifacts from the Dogon culture. The Dogon are indigenous to the central plateau of Mali. They’re best known for their religious traditions, mask dances, wooden sculptures, and architecture.
In addition to Dogon artifacts, there are items from other cultures on display as well. This includes a pair of teak statues once belonging to Pieter Westra (1917-1985). The large one is believed to be from Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and the small one from Kenya. Westra’s son Harmen donated them to the Kura Hulanda Museum in April 2016.
Benin Bronzes
The small building next door contains some of the museum’s most impressive artifacts, the Benin Bronzes. Other bronze statues and artifacts are on display as well.
Countries of Abraham
The final exhibit, located near the entrance, is Countries of Abraham. It displays rare items from the Near East and Mesopotamia. Some of the artifacts date back to the 3rd millennium BC.
Kura Hulanda Village
The Kura Hulanda Museum sits at the gates of Kura Hulanda Village, which translates to Dutch Courtyard in Papiamento. This neighborhood of Otrobanda developed into a residential area in the middle of the 19th century. Neoclassical mansions sprung up around 1875. It has an irregular street pattern because of lack of urban planning.
After 1970, residents began moving out and the neighborhood became abandoned. It turned into a breeding ground for drugs and prostitution. In 2001, Dutch entrepreneur Jakob Gelt Dekker (1948-2019) opened the Kura Hulanda Hotel and began investing in the area. He saved several historic buildings and restored them to their original condition.
Today, Kura Hulanda Village is a charming place filled with restaurants, shops, art galleries, and other business. It comes to life in the evening, when both tourists and locals fill the outdoor tables at the restaurants.
Villa Sixta
A couple blocks north of Kura Hulanda Village is Hoogstraat, which features a few of the most impressive mansions in Willemstad. First is Villa Sixta at Hoogstraat 21-25. It was built in 1874 by Herman Elsevijf and divided into two houses, one upstairs and one on the ground floor. Isaac Maduro, a merchant from Coro, Venezuela, purchased the house in 1888, and named it Villa Sixta. Governor Falcon Leon Jurado acquired it in 1917.
Villa Sixta was heavily damaged by rain in 1999. Restoration began the same year and was completed in 2003. The Neoclassical building features a double curved stairway at the entrance with Tuscan columns supporting the balcony.
Villa Antoine
Across the street at Hoogstraat 18 is Villa Antoine. Architect Antoine Martis purchased the lot in 1869 and constructed the house. It was sold to merchant James Jones in 1894. The mansion features three adjoining gables.
Murals on Willemstraat
Around the corner on Willemstraat you’ll find a few colorful murals worth a look.
Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park
On the south side of Otrobanda is one of the only natural attractions in Willemstad. Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park encompasses 12 hectares of mangroves providing food and sheltering several marine animals. It opened to the public on July 1, 2022, and focuses on conservation, education, and recreation.
Admission to Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park is US$15 for adults, US$2 for kids age 6-12, and free for kids under 6 (as of January 2025). In addition, there are guided walking tours and guided kayak tours at specific times throughout the day. Walking tours are US$20 per person while kayak tours are US$25 each (as of January 2025). The park is open daily from 8am to 5pm.
The area that makes up the park was traditionally used for recreation until illegal waste dumping was reported for the first time in 1830. In 1840, two lanterns were installed to try and prevent dumping at night. Drainage and infilling began in 1948, and by 1960, the area took its current form.
The one-way path through the park is an elevated boardwalk with plenty of benches. About halfway through is a lookout tower you can climb for a birds-eye view of the mangroves. Along the way, you’ll find interpretive panels explaining the importance of mangroves on Curaçao, the three species of mangroves found on the island, how they protect the coast and prevent erosion, and the flora and fauna that thrive off their existence.
Fort Waakzaamheid
Finally, on the northwest corner of Otrobanda is Fort Waakzaamheid. It was built between February and May 1803 to defend against a possible French invasion. Another small fort, Fort Wreker, sat behind it. Waakzaamheid translates to Vigilance.
Both Fort Waakzaamheid and Fort Wreker were taken by the British under John Bligh (1770-1831) in January 1804. Bligh used the fort’s 4 cannons to launch his siege on Willemstad, which lasted 26 days. The cannonball stuck in the façade of the Fort Church was fired from here.
During World War II, American troops placed anti-aircraft guns on the walls of Fort Waakzaamheid. They also built barracks and used it as an observation post. A restaurant was later built atop the walls. The fort was partially restored in 2012. Today, you’ll enjoy great views of Otrobanda.
Scharloo, Willemstad
Scharloo sits north of Punda, separated by the Waaigat. It was first settled in 1634 as a plantation of the Dutch West India Company but was abandoned shortly after because the ground was infertile. In 1694, the first wharf was built, and the first mansions followed in the early 18th century. In 1753, the government considered the area crucial for defense and forbade new construction.
Scharloo began to develop again in 1850. Jewish merchants started building villas there in 1870 and it quickly became the wealthiest suburb of Willemstad. In the 1960s, many residents moved further out into the suburbs and Scharloo began to decline. Many villas were restored in the early 21st century and are now used as private or governmental offices.
Curaçao Maritime Museum
The Curaçao Maritime Museum, which opened in 1998, is the biggest attraction in Scharloo. It covers over 500 years of the island’s maritime and national history. Admission is US$10 for adults, US$7 for kids age 6-17, and free for kids under 6 (as of January 2025). It’s open daily except Fridays and Sundays, and the Culture Café is on the second floor.
The Baroque building that houses the museum was built in 1729 and is one of the oldest mansions in Scharloo. It was once owned by the brother-in-law of Admiral Luis Brión (1782-1821). After fighting for the independence of Venezuela and Gran Colombia from Spain alongside Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), Brión returned to Willemstad. He died in the building the following day, September 27, 1821, of tuberculosis. The building has also served as a freemason’s lodge, school, sanatorium, nightclub, and hotel. It was mostly destroyed by fire in 1988 and restored between 1995 and 1996.
First Floor of the Curaçao Maritime Museum
The first floor chronicles the island’s history and the origins of its maritime tradition. Several interesting artifacts are on display. One of them is a 17th century iron treasure chest made in Nuremberg, Germany. It was used by officers to store valuable documents and gold or silver pieces. It has a false key escutcheon on the front, and the inside is divided into two areas.
Frigate Alphen
An entire section is dedicated to artifacts salvaged from the frigate Alphen. It exploded in St. Anna Bay in 1778 and rests in the middle of the harbor. Other items that found their way to the bottom of the bay before and after the Alphen were also found.
The most impressive is a bronze cannon found in 2007. It was made in Amsterdam for the Admiralty of Amsterdam in 1776 by Pieter Seest. The handles are shaped like fish. The cannon is 9.7 feet (269 centimeters) long and the barrel has a diameter of 3.8 inches (9.7 centimeters). It weighs 1,600 pounds (726 kilograms).
Curaçao and the United States
In the back corner under the stairs is an exhibit on Curaçao’s longstanding partnership with the United States, including the history of the USS Erie. The Navy patrol gunboat was launched on February 29, 1936, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She was 328 feet 6 inches (100.13 meters) long with a crew of 17 officers and 231 sailors. On November 12, 1942, while escorting a convoy from Panama to Guantanamo Bay, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-163 just a mile off the coast of Curaçao. The explosion and fire killed 7 crew members and wounded 49.
To prevent the ship from sinking in deep water and avoid further loss of life, Captain Mack made a sharp turn towards the coast and beached her on a reef. The USS Erie was later raised and towed to Willemstad in an attempt to salvage and repair her, but it wasn’t to be. On December 9, 1952, the hull was towed out to sea and sunk a few miles off the coast of Curaçao. On November 12, 2017, the 75th anniversary of the attack, a memorial was inaugurated on the exact spot the ship was beached.
Second Floor of the Curaçao Maritime Museum
On the second floor, one corridor covers the history of Curaçao as a cruise ship destination. The first cruises arrived in 1900. Brochures, photos, memorabilia, trunks, and other artifacts are on display. In the opposite corridor are several model ships.
A room off to one side covers the island’s oil refinery. It contains a copy of an impressive model of the Curaçao refinery that can actually process oil running on steam. The model was created by Hubert Leonard Vos (1904-1981). He was born in the Netherlands and left for Curaçao to work for the Shell refinery in 1925. Vos was eventually promoted to the head of crude oil pumping, a position he held until his retirement in 1958. As for the model, he worked on it for nearly 50 years. The original is in the Netherlands.
Third Floor of the Curaçao Maritime Museum
The third floor contains a small room explaining how the armed forces of Curaçao are organized, including cooperation with the Netherlands. On display are uniforms, photos, maps, and diagrams.
Villa Maria
Next door to the Curaçao Maritime Museum you’ll find Villa Maria. It was built between 1885 and 1888 by Dr. David Ricardo, a dentist and oral surgeon, and is likely named after his wife, Miriam de Jongh. It was converted to the Hotel Caracas in the 1960s and restored to its original condition in 1998. The villa features elements of Greek architecture such as Doric columns supporting a pediment.
Werfstraat 6
Behind the Curaçao Maritime Museum, at Werfstraat 6, is another impressive Baroque mansion. It was built in the first half of the 18th century, and Neoclassical elements were added in 1866. In the early 20th century, it was used as a private school and later as a pension. The mansion was restored in 1999.
Bolo di Batrei
Out of all the stunning mansions on Scharlooweg, Bolo di Batrei (Wedding Cake), at Scharlooweg 77, is the most famous. It was built by Salomon Elias Maduro (1881-1951), the grandson of the founder of S.E.L. Maduro. He gave it to his daughter, Rebecca Deborah Levy Maduro (1897-1992), on June 6, 1917, as a wedding gift. It was restored between 2009 and 2011 and now houses the National Archive of Curaçao.
Pietermaai, Willemstad
Pietermaai is a neighborhood founded as a suburb of Willemstad in 1675. It was separated from the city by a buffer zone of about 500 meters and named after captain Pieter de Meij. On May 13, 1861, a decision was made to demolish the city walls, and homes were built in the gap separating Pietermaai from Willemstad.
Pietermaai was originally inhabited by both wealthy and working class citizens. Urban decay crept in starting in the 1970s and it became a haven for drug dealers. By the 21st century, it revived as a trendy neighborhood with good nightlife and restaurants, especially along Nieuwestraat.
I didn’t spend much time in Pietermaai other than taking a walk down Pietermaai and Niewestraat. I encountered a lot of colorful homes. Since I visited in the middle of the afternoon, there wasn’t much life on the streets. I’d love to go back in the evening on a future trip to Willemstad and experience some of the restaurants.
Nieuwestraat 42/44
The only building I walked by with historical information posted was Nieuwestraat 42/44. The Neoclassical mansion was constructed sometime between 1864 and 1873 by Gerrit Sjoerd Ponne. His son-in-law sold it to the Curiel family, who in turn sold it to Enrique Keizer in 1928. The ground floor of the mansion served as a cabinetmaker’s workshop with living quarters upstairs. It was purchased and restored in 2001 and has served as a café and jazz bar.
Fort Nassau
Fort Nassau, officially Fort Oranje Nassau, sits on a hill 68 meters (223 feet) overlooking Willemstad. It was built in 1796 as Fort Republiek under Johann Lauffer (1752-1833), and it was renamed Fort George in 1807 after Curaçao was captured by the British. On January 28, 1816, when the Netherlands recovered the island, the fort received its current name.
After losing its military function in 1825, Fort Nassau was later used as a control tower for the Queen Emma Bridge. It has hosted a popular restaurant since 1959.
If you visit the fort, there’s a ramp leading to the top where there are spectacular 360° views of the island. You can see Willemstad behind the Queen Juliana Bridge as well as the oil refinery and shipyards on the lagoon.
Pos di Pia
Pos di Pia is a well at the foot of the road up to Fort Nassau. It was built at the same time as the fort and completed in 1796. The water was meant for the fort but was also used by the local hospital and sold to ships that called at the Port of Curaçao.
Pos di Pia is built with bricks and blocks of coral. It’s one of the few wells of its kind that still exist on the island. The name refers to the fact both people and animals could walk down the stairs into the well to fetch water.
Landhuis Chobolobo
Landhuis Chobolobo, which was built in the early 19th century, is one of the more popular attractions in Willemstad. It’s the home of the distillery where the world-famous Blue Curaçao liqueur has been produced since 1896.
The store and cocktail bar are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm with 60-minute guided tours and tastings available roughly every hour beginning at 9am. They cost US$18 for a standard tour including one cocktails, or US$28 for a deluxe tour including two cocktails (as of January 2025). Kids under 13 can join a tour for free. Reservations are recommended and you can book online. Just check in at the info booth outside the main entrance. Also, keep in mind you don’t need to take a tour to visit the store or cocktail bar.
Our Tour of Landhuis Chobolobo
The tour begins on the steps of the entrance and continues past the distillery. There, the guide tells the history of the Valencia orange trees planted on Curaçao that would eventually be used to produce the liqueur. They were brought from Spain in 1511, but the sun and dry climate were too harsh for the oranges. Instead of sweet juice, it they produced a very bitter flavor. The locals called them laraha.
The story continues with Mordechai Senior, a Spanish Jew born in Amsterdam in 1620. He emigrated to Curaçao, where one of his descendants stumbled upon the idea to produce a liqueur from the laraha orange. He literally stepped on the fruit and got a whiff of the aroma released from the oils in the broken peel. Fast forward to 1896, when Edgar Senior founded Senior & Co. Edgar had been experimenting with all kinds of spices and discovered the perfect concoction for the Curaçao liqueur.
The guide goes over some of the ingredients used to produce Curaçao liqueur, which is kosher-certified, using ethyl alcohol derived from natural cane sugar. The original copper still Edgar Senior ordered in 1896 is in use to this day.
Next, the guide walks the group to the other side of the distillery to explain how the bottling machine works. Nearby is a table where all the Curaçao liqueur varieties are on display. The guide explains that the flavor for each of the five colors – blue, orange, red, green, and clear – is exactly the same. There are also other varieties such as tamarind, chocolate, and coffee, some of which we were able to sample at a table just outside.
Cocktail Bar
The tour ends at the cocktail bar where guests choose one cocktail. In our case, since we did the deluxe tour, we could choose two. We really enjoyed the cocktails and were able to hang out as long as we wanted.
Mongui Maduro Museum
The Mongui Maduro Museum is further outside the historic city center of Willemstad. It’s named for Salomon (Mongui) Abraham Levy Maduro (1891-1967), who made it his mission to collect all documentation related to Curaçao. It preserves his collection and also chronicles the history of the Levy Maduro family, A Sephardic Jewish family who arrived on Curaçao in the 17th century. They have been instrumental in the island’s economy and development, especially since the middle of the 19th century. After Mongui passed, his wife, daughter, and son-in-law continued his work. The museum was established by his daughter, Ena Dankmeijer-Maduro (1920-2016).
The Mongui Maduro Museum is housed in Landhuis Rooi Catootje, which was built in 1735. Mongui’s grandfather, Salomon Elias Levy Maduro (1814-1883), purchased it in 1853. The family converted it to a library and museum in 1974. The museum is open Monday through Friday. Admission is US$10 for adults, US$5 for kids age 4-11, and free for kids under 4 (as of January 2025).
Exhibits at the Mongui Maduro Museum
The beginning of the museum is dedicated to Rooi Catootje with a description of daily life on the plantation for both residents and slaves. Several artifacts are on display. In the same corridor is information on the origins of the Levy Maduro family, starting with the patriarch, Salomon Elias.
The next corridor contains a biography of Mongui Maduro along with several personal items and awards he earned over the years. At the other end of the corridor is a section on Ena Dankmeijer.
In the third and final corridor, there’s information on Ena’s husband, Emile Dankmeijer (1907-1990), a Dutch naval officer born in Indonesia.
George Maduro Display
The last section of the museum honors George Maduro (1916-1945), who served as an officer for the Netherlands in World War II. A series of short videos chronicle his life, including his crucial role in repelling the Nazi attack on The Hague. He was then captured by Nazi troops and imprisoned at the Oranjehotel in Scheveningen for a year and a half. Following his release, he joined the resistance and helped smuggle Allied pilots into the United Kingdom via Spain. He was apprehended and imprisoned again, only to escape and rejoin the resistance.
Maduro was betrayed by a Belgian collaborator and jailed at Saarbrücken. During an Allied bombing raid, his jail wing was hit, freeing all of the prisoners. Rather than escape, he stayed to rescue prisoners buried by the rubble. Unfortunately, he was unable to get away and a few months later was sent to Dachau concentration camp. On February 8, 1945, only 3 months before the camp was liberated, he died of typhus. He was posthumously awarded the Knight 4th-class of the Military Order of William. The miniature city of Madurodam in The Hague is named for him.
Parlor
The parlor, or sala, is the central room of the home. It was used for special occasions, and the family would dine and receive guests there. The furniture and heirlooms on display today belonged to the family mansions in Scharloo and Pietermaai.
One of the most interesting items is the antique rosewood square grand piano. It was manufactured in New York by Raven & Bacon and Co. in 1856. Another is the late 19th century mahogany extension dining table.
The parlor at Rooi Catootje played an important role in Curaçao history. In 1954, Mongui Maduro made it available for one of several preliminary meetings of the Round Table Conference. At the dining table, the charter between the Netherlands and its Caribbean colonies was formed, granting autonomy to the six islands of the Netherlands Antilles (formerly the Dutch West Indies) and Suriname.
Bedroom
Upstairs is the bedroom. Traditionally, bedrooms at plantation houses such as Rooi Catootje were located on the east side of the ground floor to take advantage of the wind. Most people slept in hammocks until the 20th century. This bedroom contains a collection of furniture and items owned by the Levy Maduro family, mostly made by local cabinetmakers. The mahogany items were imported from Santo Domingo.
The mahogany beds are probably the oldest furniture in the room, dating to the first half of the 19th century. The commode washstands and chamber pot chairs were used well into the 20th century, as even the finest mansions didn’t have bathrooms until the 1920s or 30s.
Ena Dankmeijer-Maduro Pavilion
Heading out the back door of the plantation house, you’ll find the Ena Dankmeijer-Maduro Pavilion, which houses the Mongui Maduro Library. It was designed by architects Lyongo Juliana and Cees den Heyer and inaugurated on April 7, 2010.
The entrance to the building is on the upper level, where there’s an introduction and brief history of its construction and opening. The library itself is downstairs.
The climate-controlled library contains the original collection of Mongui Maduro, including a collection of Antilliana and Judaica publications dating back to the 17th century. These rare books and unique documents chronicle the political, social, and cultural history of Curaçao and the Dutch Caribbean as well as the Jewish history of the island. You can browse the ever-growing collection online.
Outbuildings of Rooi Catootje
Only a few of the several outbuildings that existed at Rooi Catootje still stand. First, next to the house is the cistern. It collects rain via roof gutters and an aqueduct. It features a window for water level monitoring and retrieval as well as an overflow system for excess discharge.
Nearby is a bathhouse, which contains two cement bathtubs with a wooden divider. A well supplied water via an aqueduct, while smaller basins for cattle hydration sit alongside.
Children’s Museum Curaçao
Next to the Mongui Maduro Museum is the Children’s Museum Curaçao. It’s a great interactive museum with 17 indoor and outdoor exhibits. Our toddler had a great time. Admission is US$12.50 for all guests over 1 year old (as of January 2025).
