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Throughout the ages, homes have tended
not only to be forms of shelter but also expressions of individualism. Aruba is no
exception to this tendency. One of the oldest homes in Aruba was built from caliche
which is a crusty calcium substance found in the southeast hills of the island, and still
stands to this day. Slanting roofs found in many Aruban homes allowed the heat to rise
while windows were kept small to keep in the cool.
| In earlier days, stone walls were built
without the use of mortar. Instead, coral rocks were placed to a perfect fit. Sadly this
is a lost art although many such walls have withstood the test of time and remain intact
to this day. |
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Although cement and concrete have replaced the older materials, contemporary design has
retained many basic elements found in the traditional houses, while adding other features
such as windows which became longer though still narrow and comprised wooden louvers,
introduction of patios and brightly tiled roofs as well as elaborate ornamentation for
roofs , balconies and entrances.
The oldest remnant of Dutch architecture is Fort
Zoutman and the Willem III Tower which were completed in 1796. Fort Zoutman was named after a Dutch Rear Admiral who had
outwitted a British convoy on the North Sea during the 4th British War, the tower is
situated on what was then the shoreline and is armed with four cannons.
In 1868, the Willem III Tower was added to the Fort with Aruba's first public clock and
served as a lighthouse equipped with a spire and petrol lamp. For almost a century from
1816, government offices were housed in Fort Zoutman, with a police department and a
prison making use of the building at other times.
Today the buildings house the Museo Arubano which is a
museum displaying many artifacts from Aruba’s earliest through those reminiscent of
colonial times up to the present day.
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