Willemstad
| Willemstad | |
|---|---|
Willemstad Harbour
|
|
 Willemstad on Curaçao |
|
 Willemstad
|
|
| Coordinates: 12°7′N 68°56′W / 12.117°N 68.933°WCoordinates: 12°7′N 68°56′W / 12.117°N 68.933°W | |
| State |
 Kingdom of the Netherlands
|
| Country |
 Curaçao
|
| Established | 1634 |
| Quarters | Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo, Pietermaai Smal |
| Population | |
| • Total | 150,000 |
| 2013 Estimated | |
| Official name | Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv, v |
| Designated | 1997 (21st session) |
| Reference no. | 819 |
| State Party | Netherlands |
| Region | Europe and North America |
Willemstad (/wɪləmˌstɑːt/; Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪləmstɑt]) is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Formerly the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to its dissolution in 2010, it has an estimated population of 150,000. 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 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 the Dutch captured the island from Spain. The original name of Punda was de punt in Dutch. Otrobanda, which was founded in 1707, is the newer section of the city and is considered to be the cultural centre of Willemstad. Its name originated from the Papiamentu otro banda, which means "the other side."
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