The Bottom (formerly ''Botte'') is the capital and largest town of the island of Saba,The villages of Saba (Saba Tourist Bureau)
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Caribbean Netherlands ) , image_map = BES islands location map.svg , map_caption = Location of the Caribbean Netherlands (green and circled). From left to right: Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius , elevation_max_m = 887 , elevation_max_footnotes = , demographic ...

, and is the first stop on the way from Saba's Port in

Fort Bay Fort Bay is the official and only port on the island of Saba and sits on the south side of the island, about by road from The Bottom. The port is very important for the island as most of its supplies arrive here by boat. The port currently has ...

towards the rest of the island. In 2001, it had 462 inhabitants of the total 1,349 islanders.

History

The Bottom was founded in 1632 by colonists from

Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...

. The original name of the town was ''De Botte'', old Dutch for "The Bowl", referring to its geographical position in a valley surrounded by the various mountains. The island attracted Irish and Scottish settlers, and the main language became English. "The Bottom" is an English corruption of this name.

Infrastructure

The Bottom is home to the government offices, a

hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emergen ...

, a

nursing home A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to i ...

, a sports field, three churches, a library, various shops and the 200 students of the

Saba University School of Medicine Saba University School of Medicine is a private for-profit offshore medical school located on Saba, a special municipality of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. Saba University confers upon its graduates the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. It i ...

Events

As capital of the island, The Bottom hosts a number of events throughout the year. During the summer, Saba's

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...

, a parade and mass festival, is held just before the Catholic period of

Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Jesus, temptation by Satan, according ...

. An explosion of colour, music and energy, Carnival parades are accompanied by the music of steel drums and the works of local artists. It is a highly anticipated event on the Saban calendar, when most of the island comes together to dance, sing and enjoy the season. The Saba Carnival usually lasts for a few days, in which the majority of the island's population congregates at The Bottom. Another event held in The Bottom is ''Saba Day''. This is the celebratory national day of the island, when all offices, schools and businesses are closed. The islanders honour their diversity and culture through various activities, performances and parades. The Bottom hosts a concert at the sports field, where local (and neighbouring) Caribbean artists come to perform. There are fishing competitions at sea, drawing competitions for children, dance performances, cookouts, and more.

History

Infrastructure

Events

Climate

Gallery

See also

References

External links