CURACAO PLANTATIONS AND THEIR GRAND ESTATES

“Landhuis” as they are referred by are the country estates on the plantations, constructed in the 18th and also 19th centuries. They generally housed the slave owner and his servants. There used to be about a 100 such small plantations on Curacao with the surviving landhuizen still referred to by their plantation name such as Pannekoek, Dokterstuin, Kenepa, and Brievengat.

The plantation house was normally positioned hilltop, to make sure that the land and the bordering landhuizen were within sight. They were constructed using coral reefs with the enhancement of some brick stone formation. The high saddle roof coverings were made with Dutch tiles. A surprising amount of these colonial homes have survived the times.

Landhuis Kenepa was called after the fruits of the Kenepa tree. The country estate dates from the start of the 18th century. It was once one of one of the most prosperous plantations on the island, producing divi-divi seed-pots and sheep wool. The early landhuis, central to the plantation, is an important monument in the history of Curacao.