The city of Willemstad dates from the Dutch capture of Curaçao by victory over the Spanish in 1634. While the Spaniards had been content to erect simple stone dwellings, the Dutch began to fortify the island. Willemstad is divided in two by Santa Anna Bay. The oldest part, Punda ("The Point") is east of the harbor mouth.
One of the first permanent constructions was Fort Amsterdam which guards the entrance to St. Anna Bay, and became the focal point for the development of the city. Today, the Fort serves as the seat of the Government of the Netherlands Antilles.
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