Oranjestad (in Spanish 'orange city') is the
capital and the most important city of Aruba. In the year 2000 its
population reached 26 355 inhabitants. It is located at the south
western end of the island. The city is known simply as "beach" in
the local language, Papiamento.
The city was built near Fort
Zoutman, in 1796, and it became the capital of Aruba since then. The
fort is still one of the most important attractions of the city.
Other places of interest are the duty-free port and the Guillermo
III tower, located near the fort. The city received this name after
the reign of William of Orange, the first Dutch king of the House of
Orange. Small parts of the city are settled on a series of land
reclaimed from the sea. Currently, the Renaissance Marketplace
(Formerly Seaport Marketplace), as well as the nearby Queen
Wilhelmina Park, are part of this expansion.
Dutch colonial
architecture is less visible than in the neighboring island of
Curaçao, although several modern recreations have arisen, including
the exterior of the shopping center located in the Royal Plaza, and
a series of buildings scattered along Main Street. and in Main
Square. Due to the growing interest in the island to maintain the
colonial architecture, some buildings and houses in the center of
the city have been restored and transformed into colorful places of
interest, such as the civil registry, located in Wilhelminastraat.
Irausquinplein 2-A
297-582-8979
Closed: weekends
Renaissance Marina
297-583-6090
297-582-8831
Closed: Fri, Sat (pm), Sun
The beginning of the city was given by Fort Zoutman,
built in 1796. Initially, the city did not have an official name, it was
known as the "city on the beach of horses" (Dutch. Paardenbaai), as it
bred horses, which were later taken to neighboring Curaçao. By that
time, the city was already the capital of the island.
The city is
named after Willem of Orange-Nassau, the first king of the Netherlands
from the Orange dynasty. It got its name in the 1820s, when the interest
of the Dutch in Aruba increased due to the discovery of gold deposits.
Air Aruba was headquartered in the city. On October 23, 2000, the
company suspended operations, and Aruba Airlines is currently based.
Of significant cultural value is the National
Archaeological Museum, which contains more than 10 thousand exhibits on
the culture of the Indians of Aruba. The city is home to the National
Library of Aruba.
The city has a number of buildings built in the
Dutch colonial style. Due to the government's interest in preserving
cultural heritage, a number of old buildings have been restored and
repainted, such as the whitewashed civil registry building on Vilhelmina
Street.
A modern sports arena, the Wilhelmina Stadium, was built
in Oranjestad.
Tourism
The city is home to several
recreational areas, including the shopping center at Royal Plaza and
part of the buildings on Main Street and Main Square.
One of the
attractions of the city is Fort Zoutman, a duty-free port and the tower
of Willem III, located next to the fort.
Queen Beatrix International Airport is located 2.5 km
from the city center.
Caya G. F. Betico Croes, or Main Street, is
Oranjestad's main shopping street, but a few years earlier the city's
main shopping center was Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard, the city's main
artery. This was partly because it is located near the cruise terminal
and port.
Up to 5 large ships can enter the large port of
Oranjestad at the same time. In 2003, more than 200 container ships
entered the port. 5 km east of the city in Barkader there is a small
port for cargo ships. There are plans to increase the productivity of
the port in Oranjestad and build several docks for the repair of yachts
and fishing boats.
Pendulum migration is becoming more and more
common in the city. From the end of 2006, it is planned to organize a
roundabout at the main intersection from the main avenue to the free
harbor. By 2008, the work was completed. At this time, the location of
several customer service departments and government offices, previously
located in the city center, was changed, their buildings were restored.
In February 2013, a retro tram line was opened in Oranjestad,
powered by batteries and hydrogen fuel cells.
Education
Oranjestad is home to the University of Aruba (Dutch. Universiteit van
Aruba), which trains lawyers and economists, as well as a secondary
school (Colegio Arubano), which uses the Dutch education system. Most of
the island's youth study at higher educational institutions in the
Netherlands.
Also located in Oranjestad is the Xavier University
School of Medicine, based on the American education system. It provides
a two-year course of study, to obtain a doctorate in medicine - a 4-year
course. Teaching is conducted in English.
Sport
There are many
sports centers and sports educational institutions in the city. The city
also has a stadium in which the base of the clubs Estrella, Racing,
Deportivo, La Fama, participating in the Aruba football championship, is
located.