Willemstad

Willemstad was created in 1583 when William of Orange had the small village of Ruigenhil fortified as a strongpoint on the Hollands Diep, and it was laid out as a whole: a seven-pointed bastioned star with a moat, a grid of streets inside and a harbour, planned rather than grown, and named after him. The Koepelkerk in the middle, finished in 1607, is the first church in the Netherlands built specifically for Protestant worship rather than converted from Catholic use, and it shows in the plan - an octagon under a dome with the pulpit central and no chancel, an arrangement designed for preaching that became a Dutch model. The ramparts survive complete and are walked. The prince's hunting lodge, the Mauritshuis, is now the town hall. The harbour has a marina and the whole place is compact enough to see in a morning.

What you'll find

• A seven-pointed star - planned from nothing in 1583 with a grid inside.
• The first purpose-built Protestant church - an octagon under a dome, finished 1607.
• Complete ramparts - walked all the way round above the moat.
• A prince's hunting lodge - now serving as the town hall.

When to go

April to October. A day.

Practical notes

The town is very small - a morning covers it. The church opens on limited hours. Willemstad is busy with boaters in summer and quiet the rest of the year. Public transport is slow.

Nearby

Oudenbosch and its basilica are south; the Biesbosch is east.