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Gabled facades rising above the waterfront arcades in Punda, WillemstadPhoto: Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Willemstad & Punda

Why Willemstad is UNESCO-Listed

No. 45 of 1052 min read

The historic area of Willemstad was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 for its remarkably preserved Dutch colonial townscape adapted to the Caribbean.

Four historic districts, Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo and Pietermaai, together form a unique blend of Dutch urban planning and tropical colour, gabled merchant houses, forts and canals built around a natural harbour.

The hotel sits inside this protected zone, in Punda, so you are quite literally staying within the World Heritage site

UNESCO status protects the facades you walk past every day.

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Willemstad & Punda
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No. 45 of 105
Good to know
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Good to know

  • Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo and Pietermaai form the heritage zone.
  • The hotel sits inside the protected area.
  • Look for the gabled "Dutch-Caribbean" architecture everywhere.

Questions & answers

When did Willemstad become a UNESCO site?

The historic centre and harbour of Willemstad were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997.

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