Heritage sites, Archaeological discoveries, History of Archaeology

Historic Area of Willemstad

Location

Willemstad

Country

Netherlands

Year of Research

1997

Culture

The people of the Netherlands established a trading settlement at a fine natural harbour on the Caribbean island of Curaçao in 1634
The town developed continuously over the following centuries. The modern town consists of several distinct historic districts whose architecture reflects not only European urban-planning concepts but also styles from the Netherlands and from the Spanish and Portuguese colonial towns with which Willemstad engaged in trade.
Historic Area of Willemstad is a European colonial ensemble in the Caribbean of outstanding value and integrity, which illustrates the organic growth of a multicultural community over three centuries and preserves to a high degree significant elements of the many strands that came together to create it.