Willems III Tower

Willems III Tower. Monumento Proteha. , In 1796, the Military Community in Curacao decided that, in light of the unstable international political situation, a fort needed to be built in Aruba to defend the port against pirates., It was named after the Dutch naval officer Johan Arnold Zoutman. Originally located near the shore, it is now situated adjacent to L. G. Smith Boulevard and has been built on a strip of land reclaimed from the sea. , In the past, service buildings, waiting rooms, soldiers' quarters, and a warehouse were present on the grounds. Today, you can still the original kitchen building with a fogon (chimney, the oven, and the rainwater cistern, all preserved in their original state. , The Willem III Tower was originally built to be a lighthouse. Nonetheless, due to Governor J. H. Ferguson's request in 1866 to feature a town clock, it was decided that a lighthouse with a clock would sound on the hour would be built. The clock that was fitted into it was ordered from the Netherlands from Petit and Fristen in 1936. The bell was also rung during special events and in case of a fire or other emergencies. , On the birthday of King Willem III, February 19, 1868, the lighthouse was inaugurated. In 1963, the lamp disappeared, and the tower no longer served as a lighthouse. To the right of the tower stands a red mailbox made in 1918. This is a standard model used in the past in the Netherlands. The current concrete wall was built in 1936. , Fort Zouthman and Willem III Tower now houses the Aruba Historical Museum. Together, the fort and tower form an architectural ensemble that has become an important symbol of Oranjestad's history. , Construction Period: Fort in 1798, lighthouse in 1868, concrete wall in 1936 , Registered in the Monument Register: March 16, 2011 , Restored in: 1974, 1980 , Source: Monumentenbureau, Olga van der Klooser and Michel Bakker.