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21-539: Spaanse Water was a strategically important location. In 1703, Fort Beekenburg was constructed on the Caracas Bay to protect the natural harbour and the back route to Willemstad . The fort was built by Nicolaas van Beek who at the time served as Director of Curaçao. It has been attacked several times by the French, English, and pirates, but has never been conquered. The fort used to be owned by Royal Dutch Shell, but since 2005, it

42-697: A bronze medalist swimmer who represented the Netherlands in the Summer Olympics was born in Willemsted. She was also the first black athlete to win a swimming medal at the Olympics. In 1985, Willemstad hosted the Curaçao Grand Prix for Formula 3000 . The race was won by Danish racing driver John Nielsen . Pabao Little League has appeared in nine Little League World Series , winning in 2004 . They were crowned

63-475: Is also the now non-functioning Queen Wilhelmina drawbridge. See Curaçao page . Shared locally with other region/s and with Germany and Denmark Julianadorp, Cura%C3%A7ao Groot Piscadera is a neighbourhood of Willemstad , Curaçao , a Lesser Antilles island in the Dutch Caribbean . It is better known as Julianadorp , a villa ward built by Royal Dutch Shell for its employees. Julianadorp

84-544: Is influenced by Dutch styles. Archaeological research has also been developed there. The city is also home to several beaches like Baya Beach . Owing to its location near the Venezuelan oilfields, its political stability and its natural deep water harbour, Willemstad became the site of an important seaport and refinery. Willemstad's harbour is one of the largest oil handling ports in the Caribbean. The refinery, at one point

105-470: Is located in Willemstad. The Caribbean Medical University is also located in Willemstad, close to the city centre. Major League Baseball players Jair Jurrjens , Wladimir Balentien , Jurickson Profar , Andruw Jones , Ozzie Albies , Kenley Jansen , Jonathan Schoop and Andrelton Simmons are from Willemstad. Noted tennis doubles player Jean-Julien Rojer was born in Willemstad. Enith Brigitha ,

126-407: Is now leased to PDVSA , the state owned Venezuelan oil company. Schlumberger , the world's largest oil field services company is incorporated in Willemstad. Numerous financial institutions are incorporated in Willemstad due to Curaçao's favourable tax policies. The University of Curaçao is the national university of Curaçao and located in Willemstad. The Avalon University School of Medicine

147-660: Is officially part of Groot Piscadera. Groot Piscadera was a plantation from the late 17th century, and was owned by Dutch West Indies Company . In 1707, the plantation was rented to planters. In 1928, Groot Piscadera and Klein Hofje were bought by Royal Dutch Shell and used as a water extraction area. The University of Curaçao was built in Groot Piscadera in the 1970s. Royal Dutch Shell started to bring large numbers of workers, teachers, civil servants and businessmen to Curaçao to work at their oil refinery or provide services for

168-529: Is publicly accessible. Santa Barbara is a plantation founded in 1662, and was one of the oldest and largest plantations on the island. It was not very profitable, and sold in January 1875. The plantation was subsequently resold to John Godden in May 1875 who started a large scale phosphate mine on the terrain. In 1915, a calcium mine was added to the site. The mines are still active, and the mining company has estimated that

189-480: Is served by Curaçao International Airport , located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of the city, which is annually used by about two million passengers. Punda and Otrobanda are connected by Queen Emma Bridge , a long pontoon bridge . Although it is still in use, these days most road traffic now uses the Queen Juliana Bridge built in 1967 (rebuilt 1974) which arches high over the bay further inland. Nearby

210-624: Is the capital and largest city of Curaçao , an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . It was the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to that entity's dissolution in 2010 . The historic centre of the city consists of four quarters: the Punda and Otrobanda , which are separated by the Sint Anna Bay , an inlet that leads into

231-620: The Dutch West India Company captured the island from Spain. The original name of Punda was de punt in Dutch . The city was constructed as a walled city. It soon developed into one of the major centres of the Atlantic slave trade which triggered a rapid population growth. In 1674, the Curaçao synagogue was built by Sephardic Portuguese Jews from Amsterdam and Recife, Brazil who had settled in

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252-721: The International Champions in 2005 , 2019 , 2022 , and 2023 . In 2008, another Pabao Little League team won the Junior League World Series , after winning the Latin America Region, then defeating the Asia-Pacific Region and Mexico Region champions to become the International champion, and finally defeating the U.S. champion (West Region), Hilo American/National LL (Hilo, Hawaii), 5–2. Willemstad

273-449: The booming oil and phosphate industry further stimulated growth, and resulted in the creation of new neighbourhoods. Between 1945 and 1955, Julianadorp and Emmastad were created by Royal Dutch Shell to house the new workers. In 1985, the oil refinery which employed 12,000 people was closed down by Shell. The Government of Curaçao decided to buy the refinery for ƒ 1.00 and take responsibility for all future pollution claims. In 1986, it

294-481: The city as traders. In the late 17th century, there were over 200 houses within the city walls. In 1675, it was decided to construct the town of Pietermaai outside of the enclosed city. It was to be separated from the city by an area of about 500 metres in which construction was not allowed so as not to obstruct the cannons in Fort Amsterdam . In 1707, the suburb of Otrobanda was founded. Otrobanda would become

315-488: The cultural centre of Willemstad. Its name originated from the Papiamentu otro banda , which means "the opposite side". The suburb of Scharloo followed, however Willemstad continued to experience growth. By 1818, the population of Willemstad had grown to 9,536 people. On 13 May 1861, a decision was made to demolish the city walls, and build residential houses in the gap separating Willemstad from Pietermaai. Around 1925,

336-413: The employees. In October 1929, 40 houses were constructed in Groot Piscadera. Between 1945 until 1955, Julianadorp and Emmastad were constructed as residential neighbourhoods for the employees of Royal Dutch Shell. Julianadorp consisted of luxurious villas aligned along the trade winds for ventilation. It was a segregated and gated community where blacks and coloureds were only allowed entry with

357-577: The large natural harbour called the Schottegat, as well as the Scharloo and Pietermaai Smal quarters, which are across from each other on the smaller Waaigat harbour. Willemstad is home to the Curaçao synagogue , the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas. The city centre, with its unique architecture and harbour entry, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Punda was established in 1634, when

378-479: The largest in the world, was originally built and owned by Royal Dutch Shell in 1915. The four companies comprising the Royal Dutch Shell refining operation; the actual refinery, oil bunkering, the tugboat company (KTK) and the local distribution of refined products (CurOli/Gas) were each sold to the government of Curaçao in 1985 for the symbolic sum of one guilder per company, or a total of 1 guilder and

399-625: The reserves will last until 2045. In 1927, Royal Dutch Shell built an oil terminal in Spaanse Water. The oil terminal closed in 2005. In the late 20th century, Spaanse Water developed into a tourist location. The resorts Nieuwpoort, Jan Thiel, and Santa Barbara Beach & Golf were established for the tourists. Willemstad Willemstad ( / ˈ w ɪ l ə m s t ɑː t , ˈ v ɪ l -/ WIL -əm-staht, VIL - , Dutch: [ˈʋɪləmstɑt] , Papiamento: [wiləmˈstad] ; lit.   ' William Town ' )

420-618: Was leased to the Venezuelan PDVSA , and reopened on a limited scale. In 2017, the PDVSA was hit by punitive sanctions of the United States Government, and attempts have been made to seize the refinery. On 30 May 1969, the Curaçao uprising , a strike at a subcontractor of the oil refinery, turned into a riot. The riot resulted in two deaths, 300 arrests and a part of the historic centre being burnt down. The Netherlands Marine Corps

441-539: Was sent to Willemstad and the entire city centre was closed down. In 1997, the centre of Willemstad and its former suburbs were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In the 21st century, a largescale program of renovation started. Jetair Caribbean, the national airline of Curaçao, has its corporate head office in Maduro Plaza. Tourism is a major industry and the city has several casinos. The city centre of Willemstad has an array of colonial architecture that

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