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Waterfort
Waterfort is a fort in Willemstad, Curaçao located on the eastern side of the Sint Anna Bay. It was built in 1827 to protect Willemstad against attack. In 1858, marines were stationed in the fort. During World War II, the fort was put into operation again. In 1955, the marines were moved to , and Plaza Hotel Curaçao, a luxury hotel, was built in the fort. History The earliest fort at the location dated from 1634, but was abandoned. In the 1820s, all existing forts except for Fort Beekenburg were in a neglected state, and governor Paulus Roelof Cantz'laar developed a plan to strengthen the fortifications of Curaçao. In 1825, William I of the Netherlands appointed Lieutenant General Krayenhoff to construct new defences. Krayenhoff arrived in Curaçao on 26 June. The plan was to build Waterfort on the eastern side of the harbour and the Rif Fort on the western side. The plan was approved on 10 August 1826, and construction started in 1827. The completion of Waterfort meant that Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plaza Hotel Curaçao
Plaza Hotel Curaçao is a former hotel in Willemstad, Curaçao. It was constructed in the Waterfort, and opened on 12 October 1957 as Hotel Curaçao Intercontinental. It is the tallest building on the island. The hotel has changed ownership many times. In 2017, Plaza Hotel Management was declared bankrupt. The hotel is in a dilapidated state, and pieces have fallen off. Viva Construction had been hired to assess the building prior to the 2020 Auction#Real estate auctions, auction, and reported that demolition was the best option. At the auction, it was sold to Algemeen Pensionfonds Curaçao, a pension fund which planned to redevelop the site. History In 1953, the government of Curaçao was approached by the InterContinental, International Hotel Corporation who wanted to construct a large hotel on the island. In 1955, a model of the hotel was submitted for approval. A decision was reached to redevelop the area around the Waterfort, a fort constructed in 1634 and rebuilt in 1827. In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Curaçao
Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea (specifically the Dutch Caribbean region), about north of Venezuela. Curaçao includes the main island of Curaçao and the much smaller, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ("Little Curaçao"). Curaçao has a population of 158,665 (January 2019 estimate), with an area of ; its capital is Willemstad. Together with Aruba and Bonaire, Curaçao forms the ABC islands (Leeward Antilles), ABC islands. Collectively, Curaçao, Aruba, and other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean. It is the largest of the ABC islands in terms of area, as well as in terms of population, and is the largest in the Dutch Caribbean. The island's name "Curaçao" may originate from the indigenous autonym of its people; this idea is supported by early Spanish accounts referring to the inhabitants as Indios Curaçaos. Curaç ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rif Fort
Otrobanda is one of the historic quarters of Willemstad, located at the southwest side of the city, in Curaçao, a Lesser Antilles island in the Dutch Caribbean. Otrobanda was founded in 1707, and has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. History Otrobanda was founded in 1707 as a suburb of Willemstad on the other side of the Sint Anna Bay. Otrobanda was often referred to as the Spanish side, and Punda and Pietermaai were called the Holland side. In 1752, In 1816, the population of Otrobanda was 2,527 people. In 1856, the Sint-Elisabeth Hospital, the first hospital of the country, was opened in Otrobanda. In 2019, it was replaced by Curaçao Medical Center which was built next to the old hospital. The Basilica of St. Anne was built as the first Roman Catholic church on the island. The district saw a rapid population increase up in the early 19th century when the once walled city of Willemstad became overpopulated. Otrobanda was connected to Punda in 1888 via the Queen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Willemstad
Willemstad ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a Countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to that entity's Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, 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. His ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sint Anna Bay
Sint Anna Bay (Dutch: ''Sint Annabaai'') is a deep channel approximately one mile long and up to 1,000 feet wide, located on the island of Curaçao between the two parts of Willemstad, Punda and Otrobanda. The bay opens into the Caribbean Sea at the southern end, and into the Schottegat lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an .../industrial area to the north. References Bodies of water of Curaçao Channels Willemstad {{Curaçao-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fort Beekenburg
Spaanse Water is a town on the island of Curaçao. It contains the tourist resort ''Nieuwpoort'', the village of ''Santa Barbara'', and the Tafelberg. Spaanse Water is a natural harbour and lagoon located to the east of Willemstad. The lagoon contains several bays and little islands. History Spaanse Water was a strategically important location. In 1703, Fort Beekenburg was constructed on the Caracas Bay to protect the natural harbour and the back route to Willemstad. The fort was built by Nicolaas van Beek who at the time served as Director of Curaçao. It has been attacked several times by the French, English, and pirates, but has never been conquered. The fort used to be owned by Royal Dutch Shell, but since 2005, it is publicly accessible. Santa Barbara is a plantation founded in 1662, and was one of the oldest and largest plantations on the island. It was not very profitable, and sold in January 1875. The plantation was subsequently resold to John Godden in May 1875 who st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paulus Roelof Cantz'laar
Paulus Roelof Cantz'laar (22 November 1771 – 15 December 1831) was a Dutch naval officer and colonial governor. He served as Governor of Curaçao and Dependencies from 16 November 1820 until April 1828, and Governor of the Dutch West Indies from 20 May 1828 tot 15 December 1831. Biography Cantz'laar was born on 22 November 1771 in Amsterdam, Dutch Republic. He joined the navy in 1790 as midshipman and was promoted to lieutenant in 1793. In 1795 the entire service of sea officers was dismissed and he rejoined the navy of the Batavian Republic in 1799. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 23 August 1800 and to captain lieutenant on 23 November 1804. In 1808 he got the title of lieutenant colonel. After a sea battle on 21 October 1813, he was taken to England as a prisoner of war. After the November revolution, the French rule of the Netherlands ended, and Catlz'laar was released. In 1814 Cantz'laar was named captain and commander of a battalion of marines he raised that same ye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William I Of The Netherlands
William I (Willem Frederik; 24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843) was King of the Netherlands and List of monarchs of Luxembourg, Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1815 until his abdication in 1840. Born as the son of William V, Prince of Orange, the last stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, and Wilhelmina of Prussia, Princess of Orange, Wilhelmina of Prussia, William experienced significant political upheavals early in life. He fought against the French invasion during the Low Countries theatre of the War of the First Coalition, Flanders campaign, and after the Batavian Revolution in 1795, his family went into exile. He briefly ruled the Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda before Napoleon's French troops' occupation forced him out of power. Following the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, William was invited back to the Netherlands, where he proclaimed himself Sovereign Prince of the United Netherlands. In 1815, William raised the Netherlands to a kingdom and concurrently became the gran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fort Amsterdam (Curaçao)
Fort Amsterdam is a fort located in Willemstad, Curaçao. It was constructed in 1634 by the Dutch West India Company (WIC) and served not only as a military fort but also as the headquarters of the WIC. Currently it serves as the seat of the government and governor of Curaçao. The fort is named after the Amsterdam chamber of the WIC and was considered the main of eight forts on the island. History Construction, design and use In the 1630s, the Dutch West India Company was searching for a new outpost in the Caribbean. The company set its sight on Curaçao, which was then a Spanish possession. In 1634, the Dutch admiral Johannes van Walbeeck, together with 200 soldiers, landed on the island and fought the 32 Spanish troops, who surrendered on 21 August 1634, after resisting for three weeks. Van Walbeeck ordered the construction of a fort at the mouth of the Sint Anna Bay. Dutch soldiers and slaves from Angola built the fort, which became the headquarters of the WIC from the outse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks in World War II, Tanks and Air warfare of World War II, aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflict in history, causing World War II casualties, the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Allied-occupied Germany, Germany, Allied-occupied Austria, Austria, Occupation of Japan, Japan, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Netherlands Marine Corps
The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps () is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy, one of the four Netherlands Armed Forces, Armed Forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The marines trace their origins to the establishment of the on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dutch Republic, Johan de Witt and famous Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. It is the second-oldest List of oldest military units and formations in continuous operation, still-active marine corps in the world. The present-day Corps is a rapid reaction force that can be deployed to any location in the world within a maximum of 48 hours. The marines are capable of operating in all environments and climates, specialising in expeditionary warfare, amphibious warfare, arctic warfare and mountain warfare. The core fighting element of the corps consists of two battalion-sized Marine Combat Groups (MCGs) which are supplemented by various combat support and combat service support Squadron ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
