Fort Church, Curaçao

Fort Church
Fort Church
Fortkerk
	Fort Church
	12°6′16.06″N 68°56′3.98″W / 12.1044611°N 68.9344389°W
Location	Willemstad; Curaçao
Country	Netherlands
Denomination	Protestant Church
Architecture
Years built	1766-1769
Specifications
Height	16 metres (52 ft)

The Fort Church (Dutch: Fortkerk) is a church of the United Protestant Community located in the court of Fort Amsterdam in Willemstad, Curaçao. The church dates from 1796, and is still in use.^[3]^[1] A museum is located in the basement.^[4] The Fort Church is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[1]

History

In 1635, after the conquest of Curaçao by the Dutch West India Company, construction started of Fort Amsterdam.^[5] The next year, a wooden Dutch Reformed church was constructed.^[4] In 1766, the present church was built to serve the garrison, and was consecrated im 1769.^[1]

In 1804, Curaçao was conquered by Great Britain, and a cannonball is located in the outerwall of the church.^[2] The church of the Lutheran community, the other protestant denomination, burnt down during the conquest. It was decided that the Reformed and Lutherans would share the Fort Church.^[6] In 1824, the Lutheran Church and Dutch Reformed Church merged into the United Protestant Community of Curaçao.^[7]

The octagonal church tower was replaced by a round tower in 1903.^[2] The church was restored in 1991.^[8] In 1995, it was awarded monument status.^[1] In 1997, the historical centre of Willemstad including the Fort Church was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[9]

The Fort Church is the most important church of the community, and offers services in Dutch every Sunday morning.^[3] The mahogany pulpit and governor's bench date from 1769 and were designed by Pieter de Mey.^[2]^[1]

Fort Church Museum

A museum is located in the basement of the Fort Church, and contains an overview of the Protestant history of Curaçao.^[4] The museum contains the original clockwork of 1766 which was built by Dirk van der Meer, and is considered a masterpiece.^[10]

Gallery

Fort Church (1940-1945)
West gallery (1954)
Pulpit (1954)
Fort Church (1980-1983)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Fort Amsterdam – Fort". Curaçao Monuments. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "De Fortkerk (The Fortchurch) in Fort Amsterdam". The Netherlands Antilles (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Over Ons". VPG Fortkerk (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Protestantse Kerken". Reli Curaçao (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ "Fort Amsterdam and Governor's Palace". Curaçao Monuments. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ "Een Eeuwfeest". Amigoe di Curacao (in Dutch). 28 March 1925. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ "Fortkerk Curaçao]". Nederlands dagblad (in Dutch). 5 January 1980. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ "Fortkerk is weer in oude glorie hersteld". Amigoe (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ "Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao". UNESCO. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ "Fundraising concert uurwerk Fortkerk". Amigoe (in Dutch). 11 May 1992. Retrieved 13 August 2022.