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Published: September 12th 2023
Monarch Empress made a morning stop at the delightful Dutch village of Willemstad. Founded by William of Orange as a fortified town in 1583 Willemstad remained a part of the Dutch North Sea defenses until 1926.
The view from the harbor was of a peaceful pastoral setting. Yet we were looking at the remains of one bastion of a heptagonal star-shaped fort. One can still make out the seven-point-star fortress shape of the town. Now sheep safely grazed on the ramparts. Teena was our local guide for the walking tour of the village. The group began at the gateway to the village. Adjacent was the Arsenal of 1728. A large windmill anchored the opposite end of the village waterfront. All over town were linden trees that had been severely pruned. Teena explained that this was probably to get the excess foliage out of the way, but it appeared extreme to me. (I subsequently learned this type of pruning is known as pollarding.) The Raadhuis (town hall) of 1587 resembles a church with its tall bell tower. In fact, it was used as a church until Dome Church was ready. (It's well to remember that Willemstad was a planned town.) Voorstraat
D'Orangemolen
D'Orangemolen is the windmill in Willemstad, built in 1734. This windmill is a gristmill.
IMG_9964is a pretty street connecting the Stadhuis with the harbor and the Dome Church. It was once a canal, subsequently filled in. The Dome Church (
Koepelkerk) in the center of town, built in a circular style, was established as a Protestant church in 1607. It was the first purpose-built Protestant church in the Netherlands and had to be of a different design than Catholic Cruciform churches. The church is surrounded by a cemetery, with many of the graves decorated with tulips.
A stately-looking mansion turned out to be the Maritshuis, a hunting lodge of Prince Maurits (Maurice of Orange, 1567-1625, a son of William of Orange.) The 1623 getaway is open as a visitor center and museum. It is not quite a house museum, as there are no furnished rooms. Exhibits cover the history of Willemstad and its defensive purpose on Hollands Diep waterway. (However, frozen waters helped the French to invade.) Most artifacts, including the paintings of Dutch monarchs, are all from the past 100 years. Remains of the five-pointed star fort can be seen on hilltops circling the town.
The village was preparing for King’s Day on the morrow. Orange pennants hung across the streets, the
shops had orange hats and T-shirts for sale, and there were even orange-colored portable toilets being set up.
Willemstad’s harbor was also a great location for birdwatching, with species such as the Eurasian Coot, Graylag Goose, Great Crested Grebe, and Great Cormorant spotted.
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