Page 16 - AHATA

Friday 9 May 2025 locAl
A10

Monuments in Oranjestad: Town House and Cas Veneranda

not allowed to see the
building nor be anywhere
near the construction site.
It wasn’t until after her hon-
eymoon that she saw the
completed mansion for the
first time, furnished entirely
by her sisters-in-law.

The mansion also con-
tained the doctor’s office,
as well as a pharmacy. Af-
(Oranjestad)—If you’ve and constructed under the ter the death of Jacobo,
ever taken a stroll through leadership of famous mas- the house was inherited by
main street Oranjestad, ter carpenter, Dada Picus, his son, an Aruban dentist,
you may have stumbled who was famous at the who converted Jacobo’s
upon a big green house time for his construction of office into his own dental
with beautiful colonial de- beautiful buildings. practice. Over the years,
sign. This legendary house, the house was rented and
now used as a town hall for The construction of the used by third parties, but
civil marriages, was once house started once Jacobo eventually fell into disre-
owned by a wealthy doctor and Maria got engaged. It pair, as the maintenance
and formed part of the elite is said that during the time cost became too high to
neighborhood in Oranjes- of construction, Maria was cover.
tad. structed by Dada Picus, uti-
The land was sold to Land lizing Veneranda’s design
Jacobo Eloy Arends was Aruba in 1986, but it did not vision that was inspired by
an Aruban physician, and see a renovation until 1997. a house she saw in Carta-
in lived in Oranjestad dur- Nowadays, it serves to host gena, Colombia.
ing the 1920s. In 1922, he weddings, and is attached
married Maria Monica to a modern building situ- Nowadays, this mansion
Lacle, the daughter of well- ated behind—the Aruban lies in ruins. However, the
known business man at the census office. Aruban government an-
time, Adriaan Lacle. The nounced its official restora-
two lived a posh life in the Jacobo and Maria’s man- tion last year, with ongoing
city center, and their man- sion was situated in front steps to convert this monu-
sion—once the center for of another famous man- ment into a governmental
neighborhood parties— sion, owned by Jacobo’s office and public space for
now serves as a public brother Frederico Maxi- visitors of Oranjestad.
town hall for civil marriages miliaan (Machi) Arends. Source and pictures cred-
and is a cultural monument Frederico was married to ited to: “De Kolibrie op de
on the island. Veneranda (whom the Rots (en meer over the ge-

mansion was named after). schiedenis van Aruba)” by
The house was designed Their house was also con- Evert Bongers.q
by architect Chibi Wever,

Why You Should Not Miss Aruba’s Free City Center Street Car Tour

ORANJESTAD - Aruba’s 2012, being the first and so inspired by the popular riety of local and interna-
City Center Street Car - far the only passenger rail battery-powered streetcar Caya Betico Croes, mostly tional cuisine restaurants.
or as we call it in Dutch; service on Aruba and the operation at the Grove in referred to as our “main The “I love Aruba” trade-
“Tram van Oranjestad’ - is rest of the Dutch Caribbe- Los Angeles, USA. Aruba’s street” has been devel- mark also belongs to that
a single track tram line in an. There are two trolleys, streetcars are powered by oped into a pollution-free list. The third stop on the
Oranjestad, the capital a single-deck one with 42 hydrogen fuel cells, which pedestrian mall. The dou- route is close to a 5-minute
city of Aruba. It was inau- seats and a double-decker are charged by the island’s ble-decker offers you a 360 walk to the famous Renais-
gurated on 22 December with 64 seats. The line was year-round trade winds. degree view of the down sance Marina showcasing
town area with a picture luxurious yachts and Aru-
perfect scenery of the is- ba’s blue waters.
land’s clear blue skies. Who
would not enjoy a ride on The “Tram van Oranjestad”
this beautiful and naturally starts from a balloon loop
air-conditioned vehicle? near the Port of Call and
The tour consists of a total serves the downtown area
of 9 stops approximately and ends at Plaza Nicky.
200 meters apart from each The first ride starts at 10:00
other; all stops are clearly am sharp with intervals of
marked. The tram will bring 25minutes. The last trolley
you close to different mu- departs from the cruise port
seums, historical plazas, at 5:00pm. Don’t miss this
monuments, the Protestant tour of the beautiful Aru-
church, Aruba’s high- end ba’s City Center– it is free
mall, retail shops, and a va- for all!q