Fort Nassau

Fort Nassau lies on a 68-meter-high hill overlooking St. Anna Bay in the city of Willemstad, on the Caribbean island of Curaçao in the Dutch Antilles.

Fort Nassau was built in 1797 on Sablica Hill by the Military Committee of the Curaçao Council to defend Willemstad and warships and merchant ships moored in the bay. It was armed with 8 iron eighteen-pounder and 6 iron eight-pounder cannons, along with 9 metal mortars. The 60,000 guilders in construction costs were paid by the citizens of Willemstad. At that time, the fort was called Fort Republiek after the newly established Batavian Republic in Holland.

In September 1800, 16 French ships from Guadalupe were moored in the bay, posing a threat to the fort and the town. The Dutch accepted support from American soldiers on two American warships, the USS Patapsco under Commander Geddes and USS Merrimack under Lieutenant Stone. A day later, the island was handed over to the English.

In 1802, Curaçao was returned to Dutch control under the Treaty of Amiens. In 1803, the Batavian Republic was again at war with the English. By 1804, Fort Nassau could not prevent the bombardment of Willemstad by English troops under Captain William Bligh (of Bounty fame) from the captured Fort Waakzaamheid, which lay outside the range of its cannons.

In 1807, the fort’s cannons were fired for the first time at an English naval squadron led by HMS Arethusa, which attacked Willemstad but failed. The English again took over Curaçao and renamed the fort "Fort George", after King George III.

In 1816, Curaçao was once more returned to the Dutch under the Treaty of Paris. The fort was renamed Fort Orange-Nassau but was popularly known as Fort Nassau. It lost its military role and was used as a lookout post. Its cannons were fired only as warning shots and later once a day at noon, until this practice was discontinued. The last cannon shot from Fort Nassau was fired on the evening of August 3rd, 1823. Commander of the fort, first artillery lieutenant Plats, saw five sloops being manned from two French warships moored in the bay and, fearing military action, fired a warning shot. Fortunately, it was a false alarm, but Plats was relieved of command.

Today, Fort Nassau houses a restaurant and a harbor radar installation, and it can be visited freely. A nice fort in a great location.

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