City
A church built with reused stone, a tower with two uses
The Old Protestant Church reused stones from the Arends family home; beside Fort Zoutman, the Willem III Tower served as both lighthouse and public clock.
At a glance
A place worth remembering
Old Protestant Church: stone reused from a family home
The church history says the Protestant community bought an Arends family home in 1844. The house proved too small and run-down, so in 1845 a replacement church on the same plot was decided; it was built in 1846. Its walls reuse stone from the demolished house, and Fort Zoutman received a lime kiln to produce lime for plaster and paint.[1]
Willem III Tower: lighthouse and public clock
The Aruba Tourism Authority dates the tower to 1868 and says it worked as a lighthouse and also told the time for the town. The light was extinguished in 1963, after 95 years. VisitAruba.com says the Historical Museum of Aruba is housed within Fort Zoutman and the Willem III Tower (the page also notes the museum was closed at the time).[2][3]
Fort Zoutman: named after an admiral who never visited
The Aruba Tourism Authority calls Fort Zoutman the oldest surviving building in the city, begun in 1796 to protect the coast and completed in 1798. It says the fort is named after the Dutch Rear Admiral Johan Arnold Zoutman, who never set foot on Aruba, and that the Willem III Tower marks the fort’s original entrance.[2]
Good to know
A few clear answers before you explore.
What material from the Arends family home was reused?
The church history says the walls of the Old Protestant Church reuse stone from the demolished house. It adds that Fort Zoutman received a lime kiln, used to produce lime for plaster and paint.[1]
What roles did the Willem III Tower serve?
The authority says it worked as a lighthouse and also told the time for the town. The tower’s light was extinguished in 1963, after 95 years.[2]
Who is Fort Zoutman named after?
The Aruba Tourism Authority says it is named after Dutch Rear Admiral Johan Arnold Zoutman, who never set foot on Aruba and beat the English in the North Sea.[2]
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