Buiten-Sociëteit Het Park

The square which is nowadays called Onafhankelijkheidsplein (Independence Square) used to be a training ground for soldiers stationed at Fort Zeelandia.[4] In 1872, Captain van Landsberge had a meeting with governor van Sypesteyn, and it was decided to turn the grounds into a military park.[5] The park would be maintained by the army, but it was accessible to the public.[1] The army constructed a buffet, a bandstand,[6] and a bowling alley on the park.[7]

In 1877, the park became the property of the Buiten-Sociëteit ‘Het Park’, a private club.[5] The club used to gather at the plantation house of plantation Dordrecht. The plantation house was disassembled, and rebuilt on the square as the club house.[8] There were popular protests against removing access to the bandstand. On 17 May 1885, the bandstand was moved to the square. Until the beginning of the 20th century, there was a musical performance every Sunday afternoon.[7]

1968 building housing the National Assembly

The park house was extended in 1960. In 1968, a new building was constructed at the site.[1] After the 1980 Surinamese coup d'état, the park house was confiscated by the military regime. The club moved to Combé.[8][5]

On 1 August 1996, the building which housed the National Assembly of Suriname burned down, and the National Assembly moved to the former park house.[2] In 2015, a commission was established to construct a new building for the parliament, however as of 2021, the National Assembly remains in the park house.[9]