0.4 km from the centre
Fort Zeelandia: the oldest building in Paramaribo
Fort Zeelandia is the oldest structure in Paramaribo, built from 1640 on the bank of the Suriname River, and now houses the Surinaams Museum. It is also where fifteen critics of the military regime were killed in December 1982.
Check this Opening hours and entry prices in Suriname change without notice. Call or message ahead if you are coming specifically for this.
The fort began as a French wooden palisade, was rebuilt in stone by the English and passed to the Dutch in 1667. It is the place where the European history of Suriname literally starts.
Inside is the Surinaams Museum, covering the Indigenous population, slavery, the plantation economy and indentured labour. It is not large, but it is the best place in the country to see the whole story at once.
On 8 and 9 December 1982 fifteen men, journalists, lawyers, soldiers, union leaders, were killed here by the military regime. In Suriname this is known as the December murders, and it is not a closed chapter: the trial ran on for decades. Visiting the fort without knowing this misses what the building means today.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Fort Zeelandia?
The first fortification here dates from around 1640 and was wooden. The stone structure standing today is mainly seventeenth century. It is the oldest building in Paramaribo.
What happened during the December murders?
On 8 and 9 December 1982 fifteen prominent critics of the military regime, journalists, lawyers and union leaders among them, were seized and killed at Fort Zeelandia. It is one of the darkest events in modern Surinamese history.
Can you go inside Fort Zeelandia?
Yes, the fort houses the Surinaams Museum and is open to visitors. Opening hours shift by season, so check on the day; our three-hour walking tour (€35 per person) includes entry.