Fort Amsterdam, Military fort on the Caribbean coast of Philipsburg, Sint Maarten
The fort structure stands on a promontory between Great Bay and Little Bay, featuring stone walls and several 19th-century cannons positioned along its perimeter.
Dutch settlers constructed Fort Amsterdam in 1631 as a military stronghold, which Spain captured and controlled until the Dutch-French partition agreement of 1648.
The fortress represents the intersection of European colonial powers in the Caribbean, marking centuries of territorial disputes between Dutch, Spanish, French, and British forces.
Visitors can access the fort daily to explore the remaining fortification walls, read information panels, and observe the oxidized cannons from multiple vantage points.
The strategic position of Fort Amsterdam made it the first Dutch military outpost in the Caribbean, leading to the establishment of other colonial settlements.
Location: Philipsburg
GPS coordinates: 18.01480,-63.05950
Latest update: May 17, 2025 10:26
The island of Saint-Martin features white sand beaches, islands like Pinel and Tintamarre, historical sites such as Fort Louis and Fort Amsterdam. The territory has land and marine nature reserves, museums on local history, traditional markets, and fishing villages. Visitors can discover pre-Colombian archaeological sites, observe the Moho petroglyphs, and hike the trails of Pic Paradis at 424 meters above sea level.
Pic Paradis
7 km
Maho Beach
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Fort Louis
6.8 km
St. Martin of Tours' Church, Sint Maarten
1.7 km
La Loterie Farm
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Marigot Market
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Boundary marker St. Martin
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St. Martin of Tours' Church, Marigot
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Moho petroglyph
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Parotte Ville
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Mullet Bay Beach
7.8 km
Sentry Hill
3.1 km
Kim Sha Beach
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Methodist church, Philipsburg
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Great Bay Beach
1.3 km
Guavaberry Emporium, Philipsburg
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Marigot Lighthouse
6.9 km
Estadio Jean Louis Vanterpool
6.6 km
Église Saint-Joseph de Quartier-d'Orléans
7.3 km
Tabernacle Methodist Church
6.4 km
Courthouse
1.8 km
Sint Maarten Heritage Museum
2 km
Église méthodiste de Marigot
6.5 km
Morne Valois
7.1 km
Marigot (ulohang dakbayan)
6.3 km
Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House
8.1 km
Statue of Claude Wathey
1.9 km
Simson Bay Lagoon
5.8 kmReviews
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