CURACAO Historic Architecture
Plantation houses
Curaçao’s plantation houses — known locally as “landhuizen” — are among the island’s most distinctive historic landmarks. Built mainly during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, they served as the centers of agricultural estates that produced salt, aloe, indigo, sugar cane, maize, livestock, and other goods
The architecture is a hybrid style that developed specifically on Curaçao,
blending Dutch colonial influences with practical Caribbean adaptations.
Plantation houses are positioned on hills to catch cooling trade winds and oversee the surrounding plantation. Built from coral stone and brick, with steep red-tiled roofs that helped collect rainwater, often featuring large galleries and verandas for ventilation, shuttered windows, and distinctive curved gables.
Here is a website (in Dutch) with extensive information:
Photo Landhuis Zeelandia by P.J. Meijer (1990)
Landhuis Savonet
These estates were closely tied to Curaçao’s colonial economy and the system of slavery. The plantation owner (shon) lived in the main house, while enslaved Africans lived and worked in surrounding quarters and fields. After slavery was abolished in 1863 and agriculture declined, many estates fell into ruin, though a number were restored and given new purposes.
One of the most important sites is Landhuis Kenepa (Knip), where the famous 1795 slave revolt led by Tula began. Today the Tula Museum there focuses on the history of slavery, resistance, and emancipation.
Landhuis Cas Abou
Monumentenzorg Curacao
The Curacao Heritage Foundation strives to save the unique built heritage of Curacao by buying, restoring and renting out these colorful gems in the heart of UNESCO listed Willemstad. This private foundation is the oldest and largest organization in the field of preservation of monuments in Curacao. Since 1954 it has been a great stimulation for the preservation of built heritage. Meanwhile, the foundation has over 120 monuments under management, including townhouses, fortresses, plantation houses and even a synagogue. Several were acquired when they were already in a dilapidated state and threatened to be lost. By now, most have been restored.
“Bolo di Batrei”, the nickname meaning ‘Wedding Cake’ in Papiamento; a beautifully restored urban mansion at Scharlooweg 77 in Curacao.
Delft Blue plates
Commemorative and souvenir porcelain plates made in a Delft Blue style featuring Curaçao landmarks and plantation houses. During the 1970’s Stichting Monumentenzorg was promoting awareness of Curaçao’s architectural heritage by selling these special plates as a fundraiser for the foundation. Three separate series were created, each consisting of 500 plates. Now they are considered a unique and treasured collection.
Landhuis Ascencion (left); Synagogue Mivé Israël Emmanuel (right)
Antique furniture from Curacao
“Furniture from Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire: Three Centuries of Dutch Caribbean Craftsmanship” is a landmark reference work by Georgette E. Nije-Statius van Eps, published in 1995 by Walburg Pers. It is widely regarded as one of the most important studies of historic furniture and cabinetmaking traditions in the Dutch Caribbean.
The furniture of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire developed in a unique cultural setting where Dutch colonial society, Caribbean climate, trade networks, and local craftsmanship all influenced design. As described in the work of Georgette E. Nije-Statius van Eps, the resulting furniture is neither purely European nor purely Caribbean—it is a distinctive regional style, developed over three centuries.
Many pieces were inspired by furniture styles that arrived from Europe, particularly the Dutch Baroque (17th century), Louis XV and Louis XVI French styles (18th century), English Georgian and Regency styles (18th–19th centuries), Dutch Empire and Biedermeier influences (19th century).
Photo Curacao Museum.
A defining Caribbean influence was the use of regional woods: Mahogany, Cedar, Divi-divi and various local hardwoods. Mahogany wood came from Curacao or was imported from Venezuela. Local cabinetmakers often interpreted European styles rather than copying them exactly, which gave way to a distinctive craftsmanship. The few masters on the island exchanged templates and adapted them to more tropical needs: open and airy constructions for ventilation, use of caned seats and backs, furniture ‘on legs’, reducing of the wood movement caused by humidity. Overall the antique Caribbean furniture is of a more robust style, with slightly simplified ornaments, hand crafted details and practical adjustments for island living.
Overseas
Some of the Curacao antique furniture came to Europe or to the America’s with families who left the island – as was the case with the Schiltkamp family.
Maryleen Schiltkamp recalls:
“My father was a notary in Curaçao and could supervise auctions of household contents from estates of plantation houses or urban manors. Sometimes items were left behind after the auction day, and this furniture came to our house on Alablancaweg (Damacor). As a child, I grew up with this precious historic furniture. Later, when my parents left the island, the furniture was divided among the family and transported to my brother in New York, and to me in Amsterdam. Initially, my student housing had little room to place them, and some of the antique furniture was in a storage in the Netherlands for several years. But in 1998, I moved into the larger home on Nicolaas Witsenkade, and in the years that followed, I was able to give them a place. Since 2018, together with Cilia Knols, an amazing antique furniture restorer, we embarked on a yearly project of restoration. In this way, the antique chairs, cabinets, tables, a coat rack and a mirror were given a new life and kept for the future. Now the Curacao antique furniture blends in nicely with the Amsterdam patrician house, build in 1880; a characteristic interior that will be preserved by the LiveART Foundation when this becomes a legacy.”
Antieke meubelrestauratie “Patine” – Cilia Knols
Cilia wrote several reports in Dutch on this restoration project:
19th Century cabinet from Curacao
Diningroom chairs
Cilia with the restored chairs, and an atelier photo…
This page is in development; we will be posting more soon!
