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Willemstad
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- Not to be confused with Willemstad, the capital and largest city on Curaçao.
Willemstad is a fortified city in the northwest of Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands.
Understand
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Willemstad was founded in 1583 as Ruigenhil, but renamed shortly after in honour of William of Orange, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic and leader of the revolt against Spanish overlordship who was assassinated that year. This name was bestowed upon the town by William of Orange's son, Maurice of Orange in 1585. Prince Maurice ordered the town to be fortified. The defence works take the shape of a seven-pointed star. Each of these seven bastions were later named for each of the Seven Dutch provinces which had joined the Dutch Revolt: Friesland, Gelre, Holland, Overijssel, Groningen, Utrecht and Zeeland.
In 1607, the first Protestant church of Willemstad was built, the Koepelkerk. This church was the first church of the Netherlands to be built specifically for the Protestant faith. All other Protestant churches at that time were repurposed Catholic churches earlier in their lives. The church's construction was funded in part by Prince Maurice of Orange. He also had the Princehof (Prince's Court) built in 1623, which was renamed Mauritshuis (Maurice's House) in 1973. The same year, the building started functioning as the city hall of Willemstad, until the municipality merged with nearby Moerdijk in 1997. To this day the connection with the Orange-Nassau family continues, with the Dutch King holding the title of Lord of Willemstad.
After the city fell to the British, and then was recaptured by Dutch-French troops during the War of the Fifth Coalition, the city's defence works were expanded. The forts Sabina Henrica and De Hel were constructed to the south of the city. When Dutch fortified cities were either decommissioned or reorganised in 1874, Willemstad saw its military function retained, whereas many other notable cities were given permission to demolish its fortifications. Until 1922 the city held its military designation. The town temporarily regained some military and naval importance under Nazi-German occupation, but lost this again after the Second World War.
To this day, the defence works of Willemstad are well-kept. Due to the city retaining its military designation longer than other cities, the town did not expand all around the fortified city, as is the case with more famous fortified cities like Naarden. This makes it to where Willemstad from many angles retains the outward appearance it would have had in its military heyday.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Willemstad is found along the highway connecting Antwerp and Rotterdam (A29). Its exit, numbered 23, can be found between the crossing of the Hollandsch Diep to the north, and the Sabina interchange to its south, which connects with the A59.
When coming from the east (Breda and beyond), use the A16 to head away from Breda, using Klaverpolder interchange to switch onto the A17/A59 just before crossing the Hollandsch Diep. Stay on the A59 at Noordhoek interchange, where the A17 and A59 diverge. From there, use Sabina interchange to join the A4 heading north (towards Rotterdam). The first exit on this highway serves Willemstad.
From the highway exit, use the Maltaweg to head north, turning right onto the Noordlangeweg not long after. Following this road, the town will appear on the left. Following the Steenpad will lead you to the historic city centre.
By public transit
[edit]A ferry operates between Willemstad and Numansdorp (Hoeksche Waard). Local buses are operated by Bravo. Willemstad's main bus terminal is Steenpad, which is served by the following bus lines:
- 103 to Roosendaal, Station. Here, domestic intercity and stopping trains, as well as a stopping service to Antwerp and beyond can be found. This route is the most convenient when travelling by train.
- 169 to Numansdorp, Rijksweg, a notable bus interchange on the other side of the Hollandsch Diep.
By boat
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Willemstad has two marinas:
- 1 Jachthaven de Batterij +31 168 476 595, found just north of the fortified city centre.
- 2 Stadshaven Willemstad +31 168 472 576, found wrapped around the Groningen bastion.
Permission to anchor can be requested through the website of both marinas. Both use VHF channel 31.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]
- 1 Koepelkerk (Domed Church), Kerkring 19. Found in the centre of the fortified city, the Koepelkerk was the first church of the Netherlands built with the intention of being a Protestant church. The church was completed in 1607 after ten years of construction. The church organ was donated by Prince William V of Orange-Nassau in 1773. Due to a fire in 1950 that saw most of the interior go up in flames, most of the church's modern interior was acquired from nearby cities.
- 2 Oude Raadhuis (Old Town Hall), Raadhuisstraat 2. Completed in 1587, the town hall initially also functioned as a church while the Koepelkerk was still under construction. Its construction was funded by Prince Maurice of Orange. Its tower still has its original large bell, which was seised by the occupier during World War II, but was never molten down. It was hung back in the tower in 1945, and originally dates from the end of the 12th century, making it the oldest still-existing bell of North Brabant. The building's tower's roof was demolished during French rule, and a Chappe-semafore was fitted in its place. In 1815, this change was undone. The town hall lost its function to the Mauritshuis in 1973, which functioned as the town hall until 1997.
- Vestingwerken (Defence Works) (Surrounding all of the historical city centre). The defence works of Willemstad were created several years after the city's founding. Following the Duke of Parma's campaign into the Dutch Republic in 1583, much of this area was found to be easily conquerable, giving the Dutch Republic a need to further fortify this area, and to protect Dutch shipping on the Hollandsch Diep. Originally, the defence works consisted of five bastions. The two found to its south were added later on, upon the ending of the Twelve Years' Truce (1621). Access to the city could be gained through two gates, the Landpoort and Waterpoort. Both of these have now been demolished. In 1747, the defence works were further expanded with two forts to the south of the city. Only in 1922 did all these lose their military significance.
- Bastions — Seven of them surround the city itself. Most still have buildings on them, with Holland and Gelderland in the northwest both retaining Atlantikwall defences from World War II.
- 3 Arsenaal, Benedenkade 6. The third weapons arsenal to be built in Willemstad, right by the Waterpoort. Since 1973, the former arsenal is an event venue. Two cannons are found on either side of the building. To its right stands the guard house that would have accompanied the Waterpoort.
- Landpoort — Giving access from the land side of the city, the Landpoort was demolished in 1918. Its location can still clearly be seen along the Landpoortstraat. Just outside of the former gate lies a former ravelin.
- Westbeer — A stone dike meant to keep the moat water separated from the water in the Hollandsch Diep, which historically was a brackish tidal river.
- 4 Fort Sabina, Fortweg 1, ☏ +31 168 471 759.
- 1 Fort De Hel (Escape Room Fort de Hel), Helsedijk 85, ☏ +31 6 5502 8089.
- 5 Fort Bovensluis, Oostdijk 22.
- 6 Mauritshuis, Hofstraat 1, ☏ +31 168 755 211. Tu-F: 10:00 - 17:00, Sa-Su: 11:00 - 17:00. Built in 1623 as a retreat for Prince Maurice of Orange, the Mauritshuis only belonged to him for two years. Upon his death in 1625, the house became owned by the governor of Willemstad. It suffered damages during French rule in the Netherlands, and was restored in a slightly smaller size in 1823. Not much later a military hospital became housed in the building. From 1907 to 1956, the building served as barracks. When the city acquired the building in 1967, it was restored to its original size, and became the city's town hall in 1973. The building nowadays is an information centre for the Zuiderwaterlinie, the southern defence line running from Sluis to Nijmegen. In the attic, a large exhibition of the local historical society can be viewed. From time to time, the building is also used as a wedding venue.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Most of the restaurants and bars can be found along the Benedenkade (the city's harbour front), Havenhoofd (the harbour's mouth), and along the Voorstraat, the main axis between the Benedenkade and the Koepelkerk.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Het Wapen van Willemstad, Benedenkade 12, ☏ +31 168 473 450, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. €113.
- 2 De Magistraat, Voorstraat 47-49, ☏ +31 6 170 170 00, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 10:30. €117.
- 3 Hotel Willemstad, Voorstraat 42, ☏ +31 168 473 832, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 10:30. €80.
- 4 Mauritz, Landpoortstraat 24, ☏ +31 6 168 472 177. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. €123.
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