St Eustatius / Historical Sites

Batterie de Windt, White Wall - In the past the coastline of St Eustatius bristled with 19 defensive positions, many of them built or enlarged in the mid-18th century by the Dutch island commander Jan de Windt.

This restored batterybearing his name dates from 1748 and is one of the best surviving examples, with cannons pointing out to sea and St Kitts in the distance. Set at the end of the road that runs south from Oranjestad, this is also a good place to admire how the adjacent limestone rocks, once on the sea-bed, were dramatically uplifted with the arising of the Quill volcano.

Cemeteries, Oranjestad Upper Town - If you like contemplating the candle-ends of history, take a wander through the poignant  cemeteries of Oranjestad. While some are just a little too neglected, and may well become barren without some urgent care and attention, they are still adorned with enough decorously-carved tombstones and confident memorials to be a telling reminder of the great boom days of the “Golden Rock”. Ones to seek out include the Old Church Cemetery (at the top of Fort Oranje St), the Jewish Cemetery alongside this, and the Anglican Cemetery beside the Bethel Methodist Church in Black Harry Lane.

Fort Oranje, Oranjestad Upper Town - Prominently positioned on the cliffs overlooking Oranje Bay, Fort Oranje was first established by French forces in 1629 then steadily strengthened by the Dutch. Entry is across a dry moat planted with thorny acacia trees as a defensive barrier. Inside the walled compound is a magnificent and bountiful mango tree and the Commander's House, now home to the St Eustatius Tourist Office. A commemorative plaque recalls that it was from here on 16 November 1776 that the Statians gave the “First Salute” recognising the flag of the newly formed United States of America.

Synagogue, Oranjestad Upper Town - In the 18th century St Eustatius had a significant Jewish community, as testified by the restored shell of the imposing Honen Dalim Synagogue, built in 1739. Most of the congregation originated as traders from Portugal, and on the east side of town there is a Jewish Cemetery where the tombstones have inscriptions in Hebrew, Portugese and English. The synagogue was in use until 1794 when a hurricane took the roof off – to one side you can see the mikvah where women would immerse themselves in water as part of their marriage rituals.