{{Infobox settlement | name = Spaanse Water | official_name = | image_skyline = File:Curacao Spaanse Santa Barbara (36699626795).jpg | caption = Spaanse Water | pushpin_map = Curaçao | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Curaçao | pushpin_label_position = right | coordinates = {{coord|12.0673|-68.8501|region:CW|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = State | subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Curaçao | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Bandariba{{sfn|Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|2011|p=6}} | population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://curacaodata.cbs.cw/census-2011 |title=Census 2011|website=Central Bureau of Statistics|access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref> | population_as_of = 2011 | population_total = 3,119 | population_density_km2 = auto | area_total_km2 = 20.98 | area_footnotes = {{sfn|Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|2011|p=10}} }}
'''Spaanse Water''' is a town on the island of Curaçao. It contains the tourist resort ''Nieuwpoort'',<ref name="nieuwpoort">{{cite web|url=https://www.tui.nl/informatie/curacao/curacao/nieuwpoort/ |title=Nieuwpoort|website=TUI|access-date=24 April 2021|language=nl}}</ref> the village of ''Santa Barbara'',{{sfn|Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|2011|p=6}} and the Tafelberg.{{sfn|Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|2011|p=9}} Spaanse Water is a natural harbour and lagoon located to the east of Willemstad. The lagoon contains several bays and little islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spaansewater.nl/nl/ |title=Spaanse Water|access-date=24 April 2021|language=nl}}</ref>
==History== {{anchor|Beekenburg}} thumb|left|Fort Beekenburg (2010) Spaanse Water was a strategically important location. In 1703, Fort Beekenburg was constructed on the Caracas Bay to protect the natural harbour and the back route to Willemstad.<ref name="columbus">{{cite web|url=https://www.columbusmagazine.nl/noord_en_midden-amerika/nederlandse-antillen/curacao/foto/451818/fort-beekenburg |title=Fort Beekenburg |website=Columbus Magazine|access-date=24 April 2021|language=nl}}</ref> The fort was built by Nicolaas van Beek who at the time served as Director of Curaçao.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?query=Fort+Beekenburg&coll=ddd&identifier=MMKB04:000147142:mpeg21:a0127&resultsidentifier=MMKB04:000147142:mpeg21:a0127&rowid=5 |title=Kiekje uit de West|website=Haagsche courant |date=27 July 1933|language=nl|access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref> It has been attacked several times by the French, English, and pirates, but has never been conquered.<ref name="beautiful">{{cite web|url=https://www.beautiful-curacao.nl/bezienswaardigheden/fort-beekenburg.php |title=Fort Beekenburg|access-date=24 April 2021|language=nl}}</ref> The fort used to be owned by Royal Dutch Shell, but since 2005, it is publicly accessible.<ref name="columbus"/>
thumb|Oil terminal in Spaanse Water with Tafelberg in the background Santa Barbara is a plantation founded in 1662, and was one of the oldest and largest plantations on the island. It was not very profitable,{{sfn|Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|2011|p=7}} and sold in January 1875. The plantation was subsequently resold to John Godden in May 1875 who started a large scale phosphate mine on the terrain.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/benj004ency01_01/ |last1=Benjamins |first1=Herman Daniël|last2=Snelleman |first2=Johannes |title=Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië|year=1917|website=Digital Library for Dutch Literature|language=nl|publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers|location=Leiden|page=560|access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref> In 1915, a calcium mine was added to the site.{{sfn|Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|2011|p=9}} The mines are still active, and the mining company has estimated that the reserves will last until 2045.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.beautiful-curacao.nl/strand/fuik-beach.php |title=Fuik Beach|website=Beautiful Curacao|access-date=24 April 2021|language=nl}}</ref> In 1927, Royal Dutch Shell built an oil terminal in Spaanse Water. The oil terminal closed in 2005.<ref name="beautiful"/>
In the late 20th century, Spaanse Water developed into a tourist location. The resorts Nieuwpoort,<ref name="nieuwpoort"/> Jan Thiel, and Santa Barbara Beach & Golf were established for the tourists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lamayabeach.com/spaanse-water-jan-thiel/ |title=Spaanse Water Jan Thiel|access-date=24 April 2021|language=nl}}</ref>
==References== <references/>
==Bibliography== *{{cite web|url=https://gobiernu.cw/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Buurtprofiel_Spaanse_Water_.pdf |title=Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|last1=Buurtprofiel Spaanse Water|year=2011|website=Government of Curaçao|language=nl}}
{{Commons category|position=left}}
Category:Lagoons of North America Category:Populated places in Curaçao