Piscadera Bay#Fort Piscadera
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Piscadera Bay
| native_name = Piscaderabaai
| settlement_type = Neighbourhood / Bay
| image_skyline = File:Piscadera Fort and Bay.jpg
| image_caption = Piscadera Bay and fort
| pushpin_map = Curaçao
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Curaçao
| pushpin_label_position = right
| coordinates = {{coord|12.1249|-68.9668|display=title, inline}}
| subdivision_type = State
| subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Curaçao
| subdivision_type2 = City
| subdivision_name2 = Willemstad
| area_magnitude =
| area_footnotes = {{sfn|Piscaderabaai|2011|p=8}}
| area_total_km2 = 3.62
| area_land_km2 =
| population_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://curacaodata.cbs.cw/census-2011 |title=Census 2011|website=Central Bureau of Statistics|access-date=15 February 2022}}
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_total = 787
| population_density_km2 = auto
}}
Piscadera Bay (Dutch: Piscaderabaai) is a waterway and a neighbourhood in the Netherlands Antilles. It is situated at the western side of Otrobanda,{{sfn|Showker|2006|p=346}} in the southern part of Willemstad, the capital of the southern Caribbean island of Curaçao. It contains a fort of the same name, the Caribbean Marine Biological Institute,{{Sfn|Zaneveld|1958}} and several hotels. It has a small beach, as well as a vacation village and holiday resort,{{Sfn|Neumann|1986|p=206}} with tennis courts and casinos. Sint Anna Bay is nearby.{{sfn|Showker|2006|p=346}} In the 17th century, maps of Piscadera Bay showed it to be a popular locale for fishing,{{Sfn|Haviser|1987|p=28}} with over 400 different species noted.{{Sfn|General Biological Supply House|1958|p=286}}
History
Three hills (Veerisberg, Evertzberg and the Seru Pretu) dominate the landscape around the bay.{{sfn|Piscaderabaai|2011|p=8}} In the late 17th century, plantation Veeris owned by Anton Veeris was established around the bay. The plantations Raphaël and Klein Piscadera followed later.{{sfn|Piscaderabaai|2011|p=8}} Fort Piscadera was constructed in the 1700s,{{cite web|url=https://www.castles.nl/fort-piscadera |title=Fort Piscadera |website=Castles |access-date=15 February 2022}} and rebuilt in 1744.{{sfn|Philpott|2002|p=92}} After the abolition of slavery in 1863, a village developed based on agriculture and fishery.{{sfn|Piscaderabaai|2011|p=8}} In November 1930, the village was annexed by Willemstad.{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=piscaderabaai&facets%5Bperiode%5D%5B%5D=1%7C20e_eeuw%7C1930-1939%7C&page=3&coll=ddd&identifier=MMGARO01:000176530:mpeg21:a0022&resultsidentifier=MMGARO01:000176530:mpeg21:a0022&rowid=2 |title=Nieuwe verdeling van Curacao |website=De grondwet |date=3 November 1930 |language=nl|access-date=15 February 2022}} In the 1930s, employees of Royal Dutch Shell settled in the village as well as Lebanese businessmen.{{sfn|Piscaderabaai|2011|p=9}} From the 1960s onwards, luxury holiday resorts developed along the coast.{{sfn|Piscaderabaai|2011|p=9}}{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010462992:mpeg21:a0059&resultsidentifier=ddd:010462992:mpeg21:a0059&rowid=10 |title=Hilton Hotel krijgt gestalte |website=Amigoe di Curacao |date=18 August 1966 |access-date=15 February 2022 |language=nl}}
Landmarks
=Fort Piscadera=
In order to provide protection to Piscadera Bay, a fort was constructed on the cliffs overlooking the bay in 1700s, however it fell into neglect. The fort was restructed in 1744.{{Sfn|Philpott|2002|p=92}}{{cite book|title=Caribbean beachcomber|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SnFlAAAAMAAJ|year=1967|publisher=Publishers Group.|page=45}} It was seized by the British army in 1804 for a week in order to bombard Willemstad. This attack was unsuccessful and the invading troops were forced to leave the fort.{{Sfn|Philpott|2002|p=92}} By the 1950s, it had disappeared in the vegetation, and it was decided to restore the fort. The fort is in a dilapidated state in the precincts of the Curaçao Resort.{{Sfn|Philpott|2002|p=92}}
=Research=
In 1955, the head of the Petroleum Industry in Curaçao proposed funding for setting up of a scientific institution on the Piscadera Bay as it was found to be a perfect location for research, and then plans were prepared to establish the institution.{{Sfn|Caribbean Commission|1955|p=41}} The research station, known as the Caribbean Marine Biological Institute (CARMABI) was soon established at the open end of the bay to conduct research in the field of ecology—fisheries in particular. Renamed Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Foundation after a merger with National Parks Foundation of the Netherlands Antilles (STINAPA), but still referred to as CARMABI,{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.researchstationcarmabi.org/the-station/history|publisher=CARMABI|access-date=18 April 2015}} or CARMABI Foundation,{{cite web|title=Contact|url=http://www.researchstationcarmabi.org/contact|publisher=CARMABI|access-date=18 April 2015}} it is "the largest field station in the Southern Caribbean".{{Cite web|url=http://www.researchstationcarmabi.org/|title=CARMABI Research Institute|publisher=Research Station Carmabi Organization}}
=Commercial=
One of the notable hotels overlooking Piscadera Bay is the Floris Suite Hotel.{{Sfn|Venrooij|2007}} It contains 72 suites, each with their own patio. The hotel's open-air restaurant, Sjalotte, serves Mediterranean cuisine.{{Sfn|Sullivan|2007|p=304}} The Hilton Curaçao Resort, set in {{Convert|25|acre}} gardens, contains 197 rooms and a {{convert|5000|sqft}} Las Vegas-style casino, with three restaurants, its own brewery, and a dive centre.{{Sfn|Sullivan|2007|pp=304–5}} The luxury five-star four-diamond Marriott Beach Resort and Emerald Casino contains 237 rooms and 10 suites, and like the Hilton contains a casino to attract American tourists. The Marriott also has a dive centre and a water bar serving drinks.{{Sfn|Sullivan|2007|p=304}} Other seaside landmarks are a convention and trade center, as well as the recreational area of Koredor.{{sfn|Showker|2006|p=346}}
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|author=Caribbean Commission |title=The Caribbean, Volumes 9–10|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B7FnAAAAMAAJ|year=1955|publisher= University of Texas}}
- {{cite book|last= Haviser |first=Jay B. |title=Amerindian Cultural Geography on Curaçao|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SMdrAAAAMAAJ|year=1987|publisher=Foundation for Scientific Research in Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles}}
- {{cite book|author=General Biological Supply House |title=Turtox News, Volumes 36–38|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q0q2AAAAIAAJ|year=1958|publisher=Macmillan Science Company}}
- {{cite book|last= Neumann |first=Alfred |title=The Caribbean: The Lesser Antilles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AKsE3kX-MBgC&pg=PA206|year=1986|publisher=Nelles|isbn=978-3-88618-112-4}}
- {{cite web|url=https://gobiernu.cw/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Buurtprofiel_Piscadera_Baai_.pdf |title=Buurtprofiel Piscaderabaai|last1=Piscaderabaai|year=2011|website=Government of Curaçao|language=nl}}
- {{cite book|last= Philpott |first=Don |title=Dutch Antillies: Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7bHneHT_9YkC&pg=PT92|year=2002|publisher=Landmark|isbn=978-1-901522-04-4}}
- {{cite book|last=Showker|first=Kay|title=Eastern and Southern Regions: A Guide for Today's Cruise Passengers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QMGnKrlQ9jYC&pg=PA346|date=1 March 2006|publisher=Globe Pequot Press|isbn=978-0-7627-3885-4}}
- {{cite book|last=Sullivan|first=Lynne|title=Pocket Adventures Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwUKbZweHJsC&pg=PT304|date=1 December 2007|publisher=Hunter Publishing, Inc|isbn=978-1-58843-647-4}}
- {{cite book|last=Venrooij|first=Nancy van|title=Floris Suite Hotel, Piscadera Bay, Curacao|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDpZNAAACAAJ|year=2007|publisher=NHTV internationale hogeschool Breda|language=Dutch}}
- {{cite book|last=Zaneveld|first=J. S.|title=The Caribbean Marine Biological Institute, Piscadera Bay, Curacao (Neth. Antilles).|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uWueYgEACAAJ|year=1958}}
{{Commons category|position=left}}