CURACAO AND DUTCH COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE

Curacao’s abundant history comes alive in the magnificent designs throughout the island. The distinct colors of the Curacao historical architecture are specifically seen in its capital city, Willemstad.

Wherever your eye takes you, you will certainly see an array of stunning, bright shades. All which offer the exteriors of Curacaos’ structures their powerful luster. You will certainly experience this in Punda & Otrobanda. Among of one of the most photographed city-scapes of the Caribbean and noted on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It is claimed that a 19^th century governor decreed that all houses ought to be repainted in different shades of color. This due to the fact that the reflection of the sun on the white paint supposedly caused migraines as well as swelling of the eyes and might even result in eventual loss of sight. Whether or not the story holds true, vivid buildings dominate the island today.

Willemstad’s covey of frameworks remind many of the enchanting designs of Amsterdam. With charming 17th and 18th century Dutch colonial buildings not to be discovered anywhere else beyond the Netherlands. In time Willemstad’s traditional designs were modified to suit the island’s completely dry and windy environment. Along with Caribbean accents such as terraces, decks, decoration, as well as shutters were included.

Willemstad’s Otrobanda district consists of slim streets as well as bigger primary roads, reminiscent of 17th-century Dutch provincial communities. For centuries, its plazas have had lots of functions. Most significantly they were used for dining, trading, events, and ceremonies. Nowadays, several plazas remain in usage as open-air markets in Otrobanda.