Forts in Curacao

Curacao is rich in history and culture. There are numerous museums that tell the history and lore of the lovely island. Museums housed in ancient buildings display interesting artifacts that reflect Curacao's culture & history. Here is a list of some of the museums in Curacao;

1: Fort Amsterdam

Located on the east side of the Saint Anna Bay in Willemstad, these fortifications date back to 1635. Strategically located, the fort overlooks the entry into the harbor and protects the city.  The fort contained wooden structures like the garrison's church, dwellings of the troops, warehouses and water reservoirs. Fort Amsterdam was a heavily armed fortification with 13 guns, of which four were heavy, in the southwestern bastion. The heavy and gently sloping exterior walls are around 3.2 meters high and the ramparts built atop these have embrasures that are narrow crevices for firing purpose.  This fort has been an active part of the island’s history from its constructions to the English occupation that lasted until 1816. Later, however, the fort lost its defensive significance through the construction of the Waterfort.

2: Fortkerk

Also located within the Fort Amsterdam in the capital city of Willemstad, the Fortkerk has a church that dates back to 1771, former warehouses under the church and a museum. It has sturdy walls that were built to withstand any attack. The cannonball here has been left as a reminder of the attack by the English in 1804 when the fort was shelled. The construction was initiated in 1763, however the architect was of the present structure is not known. Over the years, the Fortkerk has undergone alterations and restorations. In 1990-1992 the former vestry was converted into a church history museum. The rectangular building of the church is around 20.5 by 13.5 meters and is constructed on the warehouse of the West-Indian Trading Company.

3: The Waterfort The Waterfort, in Willemstad, was built around the 1830. It was the fourth fortification at the east side of the entrance of St. Anna bay. The Waterfort consisted of a 400-meter defensive wall along the coast from the mouth of the St. Anna Bay till Fort Marietje.

At the ground level, the wall consisted of a series of 69 gun basements with barrel vaulting, called casemates. The 5-meter-high and 2.5-meter-thick walls were bombproof. Some basements, especially those at the corners were used as powder magazine, laboratory, bakery, water reservoir, latrine and as storage place. On the five-meter-high wall there was an open circular battery. However, owing to the high costs the original plans were only partially carried out.

The Waterfort functioned together with the Riffort, located on the other side of the harbor entrance, during the Second World War as battery and military centre. Waterfort was never a part of the wars and the only direct attack on the fort took place in 1929 when it was occupied by a troop of rebels. In 1955 it was decided to build a hotel in the courtyard of the Waterfort. Until the construction of the hotel the outlines of the design of the fort were still clearly visible. Presently, some parts of the Waterfort function as restaurants and shops.</