Dutch Authority in Caribbean Colonies - 300 Years - Kralendijk, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 12° 09.003 W 068° 16.619
19P E 578665 N 1343250
The Van Walbeeck Monument commemorates 300 years of the landing of Johannes van Walbeeck and Dutch authority in its Caribbean colonies. It is located in Wilhelmina Park at the harbor of Kralendijk, Bonaire.
Waymark Code: WMXX39
Location: Bonaire, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Date Posted: 03/11/2018
Views: 7
In the middle of the 17th century the West India Company needed a naval port for their exploits in South America and a naval port for its barges. In 1634. Johannes van Walbeeck, a navigator and cartographer employed by the West India Company, took Curacao from the Spanish. Aruba and Bonaire followed soon thereafter.
The Van Walbeeck Monument was placed on the Wilhelmina Park in 1934 to commemorate 300 years of Dutch authority on Bonaire. An 8' high trapezoid shaped wall with a triangular roof contains a plaque which is inscribed:
1634 1934
TER HERINNERING AAN HET
300 JARIG NEDERLANSCH GEZAG
[LANDING VAN WALBEECK 26 JULI 1634]
1634 1934
TO REMEMBER THE
300 YEARS OF DUTCH AUTHORITY
[LANDING VAN WALBEECK 26 JULY 1634]