Historia di Aruba

    Zoutmanstraat 13-15

The Hotel Colombia is a premises consisting of two building layers and is located on a plot of 1010 square meters.

It is situated on the junction of Zoutmanstraat and Oranjestraat. This building was constructed in 1918, and the owner was Mr. Nadie Henriquez. It was in those days one of the prettiest buildings in Oranjestad, with its balcony and pillars. In 1919 L.J.M. “Nadi” Henriquez started an open-air movie theater. In December 1920 he made an exchange with Eduardo de Veer, were he traded his theatre for De Veer’s pianola. In 1922 the open-air movie theater annex music theater could still be found in the garden and the building itself was used as ‘Pension Aruba’. Around 1925, Doctor Eloy Arends acquired this building.

The building probably functioned firstly as the consular office and residence of the Venezuelan consul. Later this building became known as “Hotel Colombia”, allegedly the first hotel in Aruba according to Hartog. The ground floor has been used for other purposes, In 1953 it housed Excelsior Drukkerij (printing) and as last function the building accommodated the “Wine Cellar“. In the course of the years after it was sold to the government of Aruba, this estate also fell into ruins. It also became home to the drug addicts. The roof was destroyed beyond repair by a large fire, and only charred ruins remained.     

Both buildings (Eloy Arends’ mansion and ex Hotel Colombia) are since June 30, 1999 property of the Stichting Monumentenfonds. The restoration of both buildings was under guidance and coordination of the monumentenbureau. The restoration started on February 17, 1997 and was successfully delivered on April 3^rd,1998. The restoration was executed in accordance with a design created by the architectural firm of Plan D2 ( Ir E. Mattew). Building contractor was Albo Aruba n.v. The renovation costed approximately five million Aruban florins.

The restored and renovated complex now houses the civil and population register. In the Arends residence there is function space for the performance of among other things civil marriage ceremonies and in the hotel Colombia is the civil register and the office to obtain identity cards.

The two monumental estates were combined by a new complex by adding a single-floor connecting building following the restoration philosophy maintained by ICOMOS

(International Council of Monuments and Sites). In the new complex there are spaces to obtain passports, certificates of residence, etc.

Since 1998 this complex has been inaugurated as the City Hall of Aruba.

For more information regarding this complex you can contact the Monument Office.

Composed by the Monument Office