Centrum, Paramaribo
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Centrum
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| settlement_type = Resort
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| image_skyline = DSC 2604 Monumentale gebouwen Waterkant Paramaribo.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Waterkant in Centrum
| image_flag =
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| image_map = Paramaribo Ressorts Suriname Neutral.png
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| map_caption = Map showing the resorts of Paramaribo District.{{legend|#ff9470|Centrum}}
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize = 300
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flagicon|Suriname}} Suriname
| subdivision_type1 = District
| subdivision_name1 = Paramaribo District
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| area_total_km2 = 9
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| population_as_of = 2012
| population_note =
| population_total = 20631
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone = AST
| utc_offset = -3
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| coordinates = {{coord|5.82499|-55.15963|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 1
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}}
{{main|Paramaribo}}
Centrum is a resort in Suriname, located in the Paramaribo District. Its population at the 2012 census was 20,631. The historical centre of Paramaribo is located within the resort. The city centre is mainly in original condition, contains 291 listed monuments, and has of 2002 been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.{{cite web|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/940|title=Historic Inner City Paramaribo|website=Unesco.org|access-date=29 May 2020}}
History
Paramaribo was founded in 1613 by Stoffel Albertszoon near the indigenous village Parmurbo.{{cite web|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_bij005191401_01/_bij005191401_01_0007.php|title=Bijdragen en Mededeelingen van het Historisch Genootschap. Deel 35|date=1914|access-date=29 May 2020|website=Digital Library for Dutch Literature|language=nl}} Around 1665, during the British occupation, the village was expanded and quickly outranked the earlier settlement of Torarica.{{cite web|url=https://www.suriname.nu/301ges/aparbo02.html|title=Paramaribo Suriname 2|access-date=29 May 2020|language=nl|website=Suriname.nu}}
The historical centre dates from the 17th and 18th century, and is mainly composed of wooden houses in a plain and symmetrical style, and the street are set in a grid structure. The reason for using wood was that the absence of stone in the vicinity, and the clay was not suitable for bricks. Only important administrative buildings were built from stone shipped from the Netherlands.{{cite web|url=https://www.src-reizen.nl/bestemmingen/suriname/bezienswaardigheden|title=Bezienswaardigheden in Suriname|access-date=29 May 2020|language=nl|website=SRC Reizen}}
{{anchor|1821 fire}}
In January 1821, a fire consumed the area around Oranjeplein (current name: Onafhankelijkheidsplein{{cite web|url=https://dpc.uba.uva.nl/cgi/i/image/image-idx?c=surinamica;q1=C%20R%20%20Singh;rgn1=surinamica_all;start=41;type=boolean;view=reslist|title=Suriname 1599-1975|website=University of Amsterdam|language=nl|access-date=30 May 2020}}) and Waterkant, the oldest part of the city. More than 400 buildings were lost, and it is the reason why the oldest part of the city centre has many 19th century buildings.{{cite web|url=https://www.suriname.nu/301ges/aparbo05.html |title=Paramaribo Suriname|access-date=29 May 2020| language=nl|website=Suriname.nu}} In 1832, 46 houses burnt down. The slaves Kodjo, Mentor, and Present were found guilty of arson, and burnt alive.{{cite web|url=https://deleesclubvanalles.nl/boek/oog-in-oog-met-paramaribo/ |title=Oog in oog met Paramaribo|website=De Lees Club van Alles|access-date=10 March 2021|language=nl}}
Even though the centre has been constructed using a wide grid, the houses are spaced relatively close together. The reason is that the slaves, and freed slaves lived in little shacks behind the main façade.{{Cite web|title=Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië - Page 552 - Paramaribo|website=Digital Library for Dutch Literature|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/benj004ency01_01/benj004ency01_01.pdf|date=1916|access-date=29 May 2020|language=nl}}
Frimangron
{{anchor|Frimangron}}A muddy area to the south of the centre would later be named Frimangron meaning land of the free men. It was often not found on official maps, but was inhabited by free slaves. In 1772 the neighborhood was finally officially listed as neighbourhood F.{{cite web|url=https://historiek.net/frimangron-slavernij-suriname-karwan-fatah-black/83126/|title=Frimangron en de fundamenten van de vrije Surinaamse gemeenschap|website=Historiek|access-date=14 June 2020|language=nl}}
Sights
The main sights in the centre are:
- Fort Zeelandia, a fortress built in 1640.{{cite web|url=http://www.suriname.nu/302ges/archi198.html|title=De Architectuur van Suriname|website=Suriname.nu|access-date=29 May 2020}}
- Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, a wooden Roman Catholic cathedral, and the world's tallest wooden cathedral.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2010/11/15/grootste-houten-kathedraal-ter-wereld-heropend-in-paramaribo-a1462596|title=Grootste houten kathedraal ter wereld heropend in Paramaribo|website=NRC Handelsblad|url-access=subscription|language=nl|access-date=29 May 2020}}
- Onafhankelijkheidsplein, the Independence Square, which contains the National Assembly and the Presidential Palace among others.{{cite web|url=https://cityofparamaribo.com/read/Worldheritage_area?sublist=18936&css=|title=World Heritage area|website=City of Paramaribo|access-date=29 May 2020}}
- The Waterkant, the oldest street of Paramaribo with outstanding architecture near the Suriname River.
- Garden of Palms, a palm tree landscape garden in behind the Presidential Palace.{{cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-guianas/suriname/paramaribo/attractions/a/poi-sig/363444|title=Attractions in Paramaribo|access-date=29 May 2020|website=Lonely Planet}}
- Keizerstraat, a street where the Neveh Shalom Synagogue and the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Islam Mosque are adjacent to one-another.{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofparamaribo.nl/read/keizerstraat|title=Keizerstraat|work=cityofparamaribo.nl|accessdate=29 May 2020}}
- Arya Diwaker, one of the biggest mandirs (Hindu temples) of Suriname.{{cite web|url=https://www.hindorama.com/negentig-jaar-arya-dewaker-suriname-s-gangapersad/|title=Negentig jaar Arya Dewaker Suriname|website=Hindorama|access-date=30 May 2020}}
- Centrumkerk, the main church of the Dutch Reformed Church of Suriname.{{cite web|url=https://geheugen.delpher.nl/nl/geheugen/view?coll=ngvn&identifier=SURI01%3AFOTOAMXX1VAR219 |title=Kerkplein met Hervormde Kerk|website=Het Geheugen|access-date=8 March 2021|language=nl}}
- Court Charity, a building of the Foresters Friendly Society.{{cite web|url=https://suriname.nu/surinamezoeken/knowledge-base/court-charity/ |title=Court Charity|website=Suriname.nu|access-date=10 March 2021|language=nl}}
- Elisabeth Samson House, the house of Elisabeth Samson.{{cite web|url=https://www.surinameview.com/blogs/elisabeth-samson-huis-restauratie-en-conservatie/ |title=Elisabeth Samson Huis: Restauratie en Conservatie |website=Suriname View|access-date=19 March 2021|language=nl}}
Gallery
Fort Zeelandia.jpg|Fort Zeelandia
Paramaribo - Zeelandiaweg 7 20161002.jpg |Officer's House on the Zeelandiaweg
Paramaribo - Onafhankelijkheidsplein 2 20160922.jpg|Independence Square (House Du Plessis)
Paramaribo - Onafhankelijkheidsplein 3 20160922.jpg|Independence Square (Ministry of Finance)
Paramaribo - Henck Arronstraat 12 20160926.jpg|Henck Arronstraat: Bishop's House
Paramaribo - Henck Arronstraat 22-24 - St Petrus en Pauluskathedraal 20160925.jpg|Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral
Paramaribo - Keizerstraat 82 - synagoge 20161001.jpg|Synagoge Neve Shalom
File:P1060656a.jpg|Arya Diwaker temple
Overzicht van de voorgevels en rechter zijgevel - Paramaribo - 20378053 - RCE.jpg|Waterkant
Stadsgezicht vanaf de toren van het ministerie van Financiën, richting Mr. de Mirandastraat - 20650748 - RCE.jpg|de Mirandastraat (1968)
'Het postkantoor in Paramaribo, Bestanddeelnr 252-6132.jpg|Post Office (1946)
KITLV - 37C300 - Beranger, P. - Paramaribo on the river of Surinam, dedicated with the consent of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands - Offset - 1817-02-15.tiff|Paramaribo from the Suriname River (1817)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Binnenstad (Paramaribo)|position=left}}
{{Resorts of Suriname}}