Otrobanda is one of the historic quarters of

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 cap ...

, located at the southwest side of the city, in

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 includ ...

, a

Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...

island in the

Dutch Caribbean The Dutch Caribbean (historically known as the Dutch West Indies) are the New World territories, colonies, and countries (former and current) of the Dutch Empire and the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean Sea, mainly the norther ...

. Otrobanda was founded in 1707, and has been designated a

Unesco The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

History

Otrobanda was founded in 1707 as a suburb of Willemstad on the other side of the

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 t ...

. Otrobanda was often referred to as the Spanish side, and Punda and

Pietermaai Pietermaai is a neighbourhood and former suburb of Willemstad, on Curaçao, a Lesser Antilles island in the Dutch Caribbean. Pietermaai was founded in 1675, and has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. History Willemstad, the capital of C ...

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 Emma Bridge The Queen Emma Bridge (; ) is a pontoon bridge across St. Anna Bay on Curaçao island in the Dutch Caribbean. It connects the Punda and Otrobanda quarters of the capital city, Willemstad. It was named after Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, who was ...

(affectionately known as "The Swinging Old Lady") and in 1974 by the Queen Juliana Bridge. The main center of Willemstad is separated in two quarters: Punda and Otrobanda, which stands for 'city' and 'the other side'. Otrobanda is home to Kurá Hulanda Museum, an anthropological museum specialising in the

Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...

. The museum is considered one of the best historical restorations in Otrobanda. The Curaçao Museum is located in the former military hospital of Otrobanda. It opened its doors in 7 March 1948, and contains a large collection of paintings, furniture, glass, and textile. It regularly organises exhibitions of local and national artists. Many of the over 700 UNESCO listed buildings in Willemstad have been restored and/or renovated (on the inside) to serve as homes, shops, offices and accommodations like Poppy Hostel Curacao. The restored area now shelters Rif Fort Village, a shopping and entertainment center that offers panoramic views of Punda and the sea. The Brionplein (Brion Plaza) is the centerpiece of Otrobanda’s waterfront.

Rif Fort

The Rif Fort is a 19th-century defense monument which was built to protect the island from the invasion of pirates and enemies. Its key location was centered in the heart of Curaçao. It lies at the entrance of the

in the western Otrobanda neighborhood. Rif Fort is made of 1.5-meter thick coral walls that once stored over 56 cannons. Today, Rif Fort is a tourist attraction that features great local restaurants, live entertainment, trendy bars with Latin and Caribbean music and the rough waves that smash through the ends of the walls. The Fort was redeveloped by the Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino. Locals and tourists visit this site frequently.

Shops

The Renaissance shopping mall is a shopping center that is located across Rif Fort. Its features tall red buildings and bright green plants and a place for tourists to shop at; the shopping mall is home to more than 50 shops including various luxurious boutique shops.

References

Bibliography

* {{Authority control Populated places established in 1707 Populated places in Curaçao Willemstad