Historia di Aruba

Op 3 maart 1936 werd dit toenmalige nieuwe BESTUURSGEBOUW geopend. Het geldt als het derde bestuursgebouw van Aruba, na het gezaghebbershuis en het landskantorengebouw aan de Zoutmanstraat. Het gebouw is nagenoeg oost-west geori?nteerd. Adres: Emanstraat 51

     Wilhelminastraat 8

The Arends building is one of the prettiest Caribbean style mansions in Oranjestad and it is located on the Wilhelminastraat nbr. 8. It was a design of the master carpenter Merardo ‘Dada’ Picus. This premise is built by the late Doctor Jacobo Eloy Maria (Loy) Arends,

(April 19, 1893- January 22, 1960), Aruban physician, who had studied medicine in Amsterdam upon his return to Aruba, became the first official government physician and general practitioner on Aruba. He was also the first aruban to be appointed as a member of council of advice. The Arends Residence is built on a plot of 1545 square meters and is a typical example of an aruban style mansion. The members of the Arends family had been living in Aruba since the middle of the eighteenth century, and as very successful businessmen they were considered to be leading residents on the island. Dr.J.E.M. Arends was married to Maria Monica Lacle (May 4, 1900-April 11, 1956). During their engagement time in 1922, the construction of the Arends Residence started, which was completed in 1925. Tradition in well-to-do families in Aruba, at the time stipulated that on the day of his marriage a man had to present to his wife a new and fully furnished house. Maria Monica his future wife was not allowed to see the house, she was not even allowed to come in the neighborhood. The sisters of physician J.E.M. Arends had furbished the house completely during their honeymoon.

After returning from their honeymoon it was for the first time that Maria Monica saw the manor. In social terms however he remained true to tradition, as many a social event and festivity was held at his residence at Wilhelminastraat.

This Manor could literally be considered an open house, as folding walls inside the residence allowed a flexible use of indoor spaces. Physician J.E.M. Arends had his residence in his Arends manor.

Doctor Eloy Arends passed away in 1960, and his son dentist Jesus Eloy Maria Arends took up ownership of the manor, he had his dentist practice and laboratory at the manor. Besides as residence the Arends manor has also been rented to Oriental Restaurant and later it has been the election center of the political party M.E.P. In 1986 the estate was sold to the government of Aruba by Jesus Eloy Arends as he couldn’t afford the maintenance of the manor. He stipulated that the Manor had to be restored. The manor remained empty for some years and fell more into decay. After a fire it became home for some homeless drug addicts (chollers), as the last inhabitants before the restoration started in 1997. 

Since June 30, 1999, the building is property of the Stichting Monumentenfonds. The restoration of the building 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.

It currently serves as City Hall where weddings are performed.     

For more information regarding this building you can contact Monumentenbureau.

Composed by the Monument Office.