Plan of Fort Oranje on Saint Eustatius

Title Leupe: Plan van het fort Oranien op het Eyland St. Eustatius.

This is one of the two only surviving ground plans from the time of the New WIC that show the chief fortification, Fort Oranje, in present-day Oranjestad, in some detail. This fort was originally constructed in 1636, utilizing the foundations of an older French fort on the same site. Sint Eustatius was then granted as a patroonship to Pieter van Corselles, a man from Zeeland of Flemish descent who had also been involved in the colonization of Tobago by the Zeelanders a few years earlier. Under his direction, Fort Oranje was built on a square ground plan with a bastion at each of the four corners. The following century saw the fortress fall apart until new renovations started from 1737 on. This draft was drawn after the renovations in 1755-1757 under Commander Jan de Windt Jr which were prompted by the Seven Years’ War. This can be derived from the mention of the constable’s dwelling with cells which was built at this time.

North is upper left.

Scale-bar of 100 Passen = [approximately 1 : 600].