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 Marinebasis Parera, and Plaza Hotel Curaçao, a luxury hotel, was built in the fort.

Waterfort
Waterfort as seen from the Rif Fort (1954)
General information
Town or cityWillemstad
CountryCuraçao
Coordinates12.10380°N 68.93518°W / 12.10380; -68.93518
Current tenantsPlaza Hotel Curaçao
Construction started1827

History

The earliest fort at the location dated from 1634, but was abandoned.[1] 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.[2]

Willem III Barracks (1954)

The plan was to build Waterfort on the eastern side of the harbour and the Rif Fort on the western side.[3]: 256  The plan was approved on 10 August 1826,[2] and construction started in 1827.[3]: 428  The completion of Waterfort meant that Fort Amsterdam no longer played a defensive role.[2]

In 1858, the Willem III Barracks were built inside the fort to house 178 marines.[2] By 1917, the fort had become obsolete, and had been abandoned.[3]: 428  During World War II, the fort reopened, and the Netherlands Marine Corps reoccupied the barracks.[1]

In 1955, it was decided to build Plaza Hotel Curaçao, a luxury hotel, inside the fort. The marines were relocated to Marinebasis Parera in late 1955, and the barracks were demolished.[4][2]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Waterfort.
  1. "Waterfort Curaçao". Traces of War (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  2. "Defensie van Curaçao in de 19e eeuw". Curaçao Maritime (in Dutch). 17 February 2022.
  3. Benjamins, Herman Daniël; Snelleman, Johannes (1917). Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  4. "Nog dit jaar komt Waterfort vrij". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 1 December 1955. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
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