Saving Curaçao's Historic Mansions

By Joan Gonzalez

In Curaçao, without permission it isn't wise to destroy old buildings that have historical significance and are considered "landmark monuments," even if you own the building.

An example is the De Vijf Zinnen mansion. After illegally demolishing it, the owner was taken to court and ordered to reconstruct it in detail — a truly monumental task.

One of Curaçao's watchdog organizations is ProMo (Pro Monument Foundation), a private organization founded in 1993 when the community was outraged by the planned demolition of a landmark monument in Punda, Curaçao's oldest historic district. The chairman of ProMo is architect Dennis Klaus with Klaus + woei a sioe architects. ProMo offers guidance in the restoration and preservation of landmark monuments, organizes special educational events and assists in the acquisition of needed funds for ongoing projects.

One of the most beautiful restored Dutch colonial buildings in the Scharloo neighborhood is known as Bolo de bruid, or bride's cake. Its history and restoration, which began in 1985, are explained in detail in a book by Pauline Pruneti Winkel called, Scharloo, A nineteenth century quarter of Willemstad, Curaçao: historical architecture and its background.

According to the book, the mansion is said to be a perfect copy of a Spanish embassy in Caracas that no longer exists. D'Amperre, a painter from Venezuela, decorated its ceilings, walls and patios.

Formerly the property of the family of the builder, Henry da Costa Gómez, the "bride's cake" mansion is now a public building and the seat of the Central Historical Archives. It is open to the public.

Willemstad, Curaçao's capital, is on the World Cultural Heritage list, due to the exquisite restoration of so many 17th, 18th and 19th century Dutch colonial buildings. Sephardic Jews, who emigrated to Curaçao from Brazil, built some of the neo-classical Italian-style mansions in Scharloo. There are at least 765 protected monuments and sites in the historic district.

View 360 degree images of Curacao's historic forts and buildings, including Fort Amsterdam, Fort Nassau, Mikve Israel-Emanual Synagogue and much more.