Main Attractions
During your walk you will encounter the following interesting features:
The firing range of the cannons extended to where the Suriname river reached the sea.
People present at the fortress during this time recall that when one of the cannons was fired, the whole of Nieuw Amsterdam shook.
At the entrance to the fortress you will find cannons inscribed with the years 1722-1776. Next to them there are two mortars, with the inscription: 'Carron 1805', numbered 69062-69074. A bit further along there are to more mortars, one of which is numbered.
The canal that lies next to the building provides a perfect habitat for snakes and crocodiles (kaaiman) although they rarely show themselves during daylight hours.
The tree in front of the Gunpowder building is a breadfruit tree, a staple food source in the region which is used to produce a wide variety of edible goods, even crisps.
Life in this prison was extremely tough. It was common for 9 to 15 people to be placed in 1 cell, there were only very basic hygiene facilities and it was extremely hot. There were also 4 isolation cells. Bad behaviour was punished by a one week stay in one of these pitch black, non ventilated rooms.
The prison remained in use until 1982. Currently part of the prison is used for exhibitions.
Make sure to take note of the decorative ironworks on the facade of the building. It includes the Surinam Society (SVS) shield, a combination of the shields of Amsterdam (the X) and those of the West Indian Company and the Van Aersen van Sommelsdijck family. Those three parties combined to form the Society, which aimed for the profitable exploitation of the colony.
The facade anchors at the front of the building together form the construction date of the building: 1778.
The dutch design of the building proved inefficient in use. It was too damp for effective storage of gunpowder. One of the Dutch governors present at the time complained about it in his letters:
'In general I look onto the fortress with sadness, as onto a sick child. Its costs will never be in proportion to its benefits. She looks representable on the map, and if she's been in Brabant (The Netherlands) I believe she would have been a beautiful achievement. Though during the entire construction, no notice was taken of local circumstances in this country'
Dolphins can be spotted regularly although this depends on the tide and the prevalence of fish.
The viewpoint features a statue with the title 'the Explorer'. It was commissioned by the government of that time to the artist Erwin de Vries. The statue depicts Alonso de Ojeda, who is thought to have discovered Surinam.
Furthermore, the trees, plants fruits and small ponds on the site attract insects and animals. Parrots and many other birds can be spotted regularly. With a stroke of luck you might also encounter iguanas, crocodiles (Kaiman), wood spiders, chameleons or other interesting species.
American cannons
Walking towards the fortress from the waterfront (if you arrive by boat), or coming into the fortress from the village by bike, you will see large American cannons from World War II. America protected Surinam because of the presence of very important bauxite mines and mining companies. Bauxite was very important during World War II for the production of aluminium.The firing range of the cannons extended to where the Suriname river reached the sea.
People present at the fortress during this time recall that when one of the cannons was fired, the whole of Nieuw Amsterdam shook.
Cannons and mortar
On the Fort Nieuw Amsterdam site you will find several other cannons and mortars that were used over time. They served to protect the Surinam and Commewijne waterways,At the entrance to the fortress you will find cannons inscribed with the years 1722-1776. Next to them there are two mortars, with the inscription: 'Carron 1805', numbered 69062-69074. A bit further along there are to more mortars, one of which is numbered.
Water reservoirs / waterways
On the field behind the entrance you will find two large grey water tanks. These are dated 1740 and were used to provide water for the soldiers and later on for prisoners. Further along you will come across brick waterways, constructed in the same period. Until now, these waterways have been essential for controlling floods in this very damp site, especially during the rainy season. The waterways will be renovated so that they can once again be used for controlling water at the site.Gunpowder storage building 1740
This is one of the oldest buildings on the fort. Construction was finalised in 1740, which explains the building's name. After 1740 the building underwent various significant changes. It proved too small and most probably too damp (because of its brick walls) for the storage of gunpowder and therefore a second gunpowder storage building was built. After the second storage building took over, the original became an artillery laboratory.The canal that lies next to the building provides a perfect habitat for snakes and crocodiles (kaaiman) although they rarely show themselves during daylight hours.
The tree in front of the Gunpowder building is a breadfruit tree, a staple food source in the region which is used to produce a wide variety of edible goods, even crisps.
Coach House
The coaches at the fortress date back to the 19th century. They were used until the 1960's. The black coach (a 'Nani', or 'Lanti') was used by the poor and could not be followed by a funeral procession. The white coach (called the 'Antriwagon'), was reserved for the rich and could be followed by a funeral procession. In the coach house you will also find a fireman's water pump, that was used by slaves that had 'voluntarily' trained up as firemen.
Kappa's
Close to Gunpowder building 1740 you will find several 'kappa'. These are iron pots, originally heated by log fires, in which sugar cane juice was boiled to produce sugar. The content of the pots had to be stirred continuously to prevent the sugar from turning into caramel. This was done by slaves and later contract workers. When the sugar cane juice turned into caramel, instead of sugar, heavy punishment was administered. Slaves, for example, were forced to hold a glowing piece of charcoal in their hand.Farmbuilding
The Farm building was built in 1986 as an exact copy of the original. It is used as a reception area and conference building.Prisons
From 1872 part of the barracks were turned into prisons (Bandietenhuis). During World War II these barracks also served as a concentration camp for Germans, amongst whom were the men of the Goslar, a ship that was sunk by the men itself. The concentration camp also interred people from the Dutch colony in India. They were suspected of being sympathetic towards the NSB (National Socialistic Movement, the most important Nazi party at the time).Life in this prison was extremely tough. It was common for 9 to 15 people to be placed in 1 cell, there were only very basic hygiene facilities and it was extremely hot. There were also 4 isolation cells. Bad behaviour was punished by a one week stay in one of these pitch black, non ventilated rooms.
The prison remained in use until 1982. Currently part of the prison is used for exhibitions.
Gunpowder building 1778
The design of this building dates back to 1744. Construction, however, did not commence until 1775. The building was finished in 1778. The building, as you see it today, is original. It has a large arcade that carries the eaves beams, so there is no actual roof construction. The arcade is 60 centimetres thick, thicker at the base.Make sure to take note of the decorative ironworks on the facade of the building. It includes the Surinam Society (SVS) shield, a combination of the shields of Amsterdam (the X) and those of the West Indian Company and the Van Aersen van Sommelsdijck family. Those three parties combined to form the Society, which aimed for the profitable exploitation of the colony.
The facade anchors at the front of the building together form the construction date of the building: 1778.
The dutch design of the building proved inefficient in use. It was too damp for effective storage of gunpowder. One of the Dutch governors present at the time complained about it in his letters:
'In general I look onto the fortress with sadness, as onto a sick child. Its costs will never be in proportion to its benefits. She looks representable on the map, and if she's been in Brabant (The Netherlands) I believe she would have been a beautiful achievement. Though during the entire construction, no notice was taken of local circumstances in this country'
Lightship
This ship (built in 1905), is one of the first lightships in Surinam. It was anchored in the mouth of the Surinam river from 1911 until after World War II. The ship has been slowly overgrown and ruined by the tropical vegetation on the fortress site.
Sluice
The brick sluice, built in 1781 to replace a previous sluice, still serves today to drain surplus water during the rainy season. It forms part of the 'water management system' of the entire site.Confluence- where the Surinam and Commewijne Rivers meet
During your walk on the earthen walls of the fortress you can view two imposing rivers: the Surinam river to your left and the Commewijne river to your right. You will pass the exact place where the rivers meet and flow towards the Atlantic ocean. At low tide, this provides an impressive sight.Dolphins can be spotted regularly although this depends on the tide and the prevalence of fish.
The viewpoint features a statue with the title 'the Explorer'. It was commissioned by the government of that time to the artist Erwin de Vries. The statue depicts Alonso de Ojeda, who is thought to have discovered Surinam.
Commander's House
On your walk back to the starting point you will pass some authentic wooden (officer's) homes, as well as the so called Commander's house. This is one of the oldest monuments of Surinam. The house was built in 1750 as a residence for the commander of Fort Nieuw Amsterdam. The colonial style of the building is typical of the 18th century.Flora en Fauna
The parkland setup of the Open Air Museum Fort Nieuw Amsterdam features many unusual trees, plants and fruit. Many of the trees are host to a variety of bromeliads, epiphytes and wild orchids.Furthermore, the trees, plants fruits and small ponds on the site attract insects and animals. Parrots and many other birds can be spotted regularly. With a stroke of luck you might also encounter iguanas, crocodiles (Kaiman), wood spiders, chameleons or other interesting species.
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