Americas

[Visited: January 2001, February 2001 and many times before]

Being part of the Caribbean, Curacao gets its share of sunshine. In addition, it has inherited architecture from the Netherlands, of which it officially still is a part. Anyway the combination of Dutch architecture painted in bright colours and with a tropical sun makes for a delight for the eyes. Especially in the afternoon sun the colours become more outspoken - yellow becomes gold, and white silver.
The most obvious place to see these houses is the restored waterfront of Punda, a neighbourhood of Willemstad, the capital. Situated on the Handelskade, or Commerce Quay, this row of houses is a clear example of how each different colour can be beautiful in its own. An added advantage is that the sun casts its last rays of the day exactly on these houses. Best place to watch this architectural sunset is actually from the other side, Otrobanda.
But you can admire old Curacao style architecture also on other parts of the island as more and more houses are being restored. Driving across the island, you stumble on examples of this in sometimes unexpected locations. From the barren landscape, a picturesque house sticks out in the blue air.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Curacao Architecture (Netherlands Antilles). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Curacao Architecture.
Read more about this site.