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Fortress · Paramaribo, Paramaribo
Fort Nieuw Amsterdam
Dutch fort from 1747 at the meeting point of the Suriname and Commewijne rivers, today an open-air museum with ramparts, cannons, magazines and views of the river where gray dolphins often appear.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Fort Nieuw Amsterdam
Fort Nieuw Amsterdam is in the Commewijne district, on the east bank of the Suriname River, at the point where it receives the Commewijne River. It was built by the Dutch between 1734 and 1747 to protect the capital and the plantations upriver from attacks coming from the sea. The position allowed control of the entrance to both rivers.
The fort is surrounded by a moat and earth-and-brick ramparts, with bastions and cannons facing the water. Inside, the old buildings, such as the powder magazine, warehouses and the garrison houses, now form an open-air museum with exhibitions on military history and plantation life.
From the river-facing walls you can see the confluence, wide and brown, and on lucky days gray dolphins often appear near the shore. Many boat trips that leave from Paramaribo combine the fort with dolphin watching and visits to the old plantations of Commewijne.
The fort is near the village of Nieuw Amsterdam, the district seat. Visiting hours change; check before you go.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 1 to 2 hours.
Best time
In the morning or late afternoon, when the heat on the ramparts is less. Boat trips to see the dolphins usually depart in the late afternoon. The fort's hours change; check before you go.
How to get there
It is in Commewijne, on the other side of the river, about 10 km as the crow flies from the center. By car or taxi you go via the Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge and the east-bank road. By boat, tours depart from the Waterkant.
Tip
Combine the visit with a boat trip in the late afternoon to see the gray dolphins at the confluence. Bring a hat and water: there is little shade on the ramparts.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Fort Nieuw Amsterdam
How to get to Fort Nieuw Amsterdam from Paramaribo?
By car or taxi via the Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge and the east-bank road, or on a boat trip that departs from the Waterkant.
Can you see river dolphins near the fort?
Gray river dolphins often appear at the river confluence, especially on late-afternoon boat trips.
When does Fort Nieuw Amsterdam date from?
It was built by the Dutch between 1734 and 1747.
What's inside the fort?
An open-air museum with ramparts, cannons, the powder magazine, warehouses and exhibits about military history and the plantations.