Built or owned by Dutch

Sites outside the current borders of the Netherlands that were built or owned by Dutch persons.

World Heritage Sites connected to 'Built or owned by Dutch':

  • Banc d'Arguin Arguin Island (part of the WHS) was captured from Spain by the Dutch 1633-78 (apart from a brief recapture by England in 1665). And then again -this time taken from the French in 1722-4
  • Brazilian Atlantic Islands Fernando de Noronha - In 1628, it was occupied by the Dutch, who were displaced two years later by a Spanish-Portuguese military expedition. The Dutch occupied the island once again in 1635, making it a hospital for their troops who occupied Northeastern Brazil. It would remain under Dutch control for nearly twenty years, when it was reconquered by Portugal.
  • Cape Floral Region The whole area, including for example Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden "In 1660 a hedge of wild almond (Brabejum stellatifolium) and brambles was planted to form the boundary of the (Dutch) colony. Sections of this hedge, known as van Riebeeck's hedge, still exist in Kirstenbosch"
  • Forts and Castles Gold Coast Elmina Castle, English Fort (Fort Vrendenburg), Komenda Fort Amsterdam, Abandze Fort Patience (Fort Leysaemhyt), Apam Fort Good Hope (Fort Goedehoop), Senya Beraku Fort St. Jago (Fort Conraadsburg), Elmina, Fort Batenstein, (Butre) -converted to a fort from a Swedish settlement by the Dutch
  • Island of Gorée 1588 - The Dutch chose the island of Gorée to be one of their slave ports. 1659 - The French established themselves on the Island of San Luis, at the mouth of the Senegal River. 1677 - The French seized Goreé. A year later the Treaty of Nijmegen confirmed the conquest.
  • James Island The Dutch briefly held the fort from 1659 until the British captured it in 1661.
  • La Fortaleza Dutch owned from Sep. 1625 - 2 Nov. 1625 abandoned. The Dutch occupied only the town and the fort of Canuela in the bay entrance. The fort of Canuela is retaken by the Spanish after three weeks.
  • Melaka and George Town Melaka - a new fortress on St. John’s Hill, converted the former Governor’s residence into the Stadthuis, catholic St. Peter’s Church, protestant Christ Church
  • Old Town of Galle Fortress, city walls, protestant church
  • Olinda In 1630, the Dutch invade Olinda and dominate Pernambuco. The dominance lasted from 1630 to 1654.
  • Paramaribo Dutch colonial public buildings, such as Fort Zeelandia (1667), the Presidential Palace (1730), the Ministry of Finance (1841), the Reformed Church (1837), and the Roman Catholic Cathedral (1885)
  • Potsdam Dutch architect Jan Bouman was responsible for part of the construction of Sanssouci Palace. Also Dutch Quarter, in buffer zone.
  • Riga Von Dannenstern House at 21 Marstalu iela in the Old Town, which was built by the Dutch merchant of the same name who owned a wine shop in Riga.; link
  • Robben Island Via the Dutch East India Company "In 1652 Jan Van Riebeeck, working for the Dutch East India Company, saw in the island an important refueling site on the trading route between Western Europe and India. Sailors began to stop on the island in order hunt seals for fresh meat and to trade with locals for cattle and sheep. This refreshment of supplies was important in order to avoid such deadly diseases as scurvy and dysentery. Throughout the 1650’s and 60’s the island became more and more popular. Dutch sailors began to colonize the island, mining stone for buildings and lighting warning fires at night in order to keep boats from running ashore on the islands rocky coast. settlers. " Until 1795.
  • Salvador de Bahia Dutch owned from 10 May 1624 - 30 Apr. 1625
  • São Luis The Dutch captured it from Portugal in 1641 and stayed until 1645.
  • Statue of Liberty Liberty Island, formerly called Bedloe's Island after its first Dutch owner Isaac Bedloo