World Heritage Identification Number: 819
World Heritage since: 1997
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇳🇱 Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao: A Unique Blend of Architectural Styles
The Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao, is a remarkable testament to the rich cultural and architectural history of this Caribbean island. Established in 1634 by the Dutch, Willemstad has since evolved into a vibrant city that seamlessly blends various architectural influences. This blend of styles earned it a place on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
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.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
The Committee decided to inscribe this site on the basis of cultural criteria (ii), (iv) and (v), considering that the 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.
Encyclopedia Record: Willemstad
Willemstad is the capital and largest city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to that entity's dissolution in 2010. The city counts to have around 90% of Curaçao’s population, with 136,660 inhabitants as of 2011. The historic centre of the city consists of four quarters: the Punda and Otrobanda, which are separated by the Sint Anna Bay, an inlet that leads into the large natural harbour called the Schottegat, as well as the Scharloo and Pietermaai Smal quarters, which are across from each other on the smaller Waaigat harbour. Willemstad is home to the Curaçao synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas. The city centre, with its unique architecture and harbour entry, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Additional Site Details
Area: 86 hectares
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 12.10194 , -68.90222
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© Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
