The historic centre of the city consists of two quarters: Punda and Otrobanda. They are separated by the St. Anna bay, an inlet that leads into the large natural harbour called the 'Schottegat'.
Punda was established in 1634, when the Dutch captured the island from Spain. The original name of Punda originally was de punt in Dutch. Otrobanda, which was founded in 1707, is the newer section of the city and is considered to be the cultural center of Willemstad. Its name originated from the Papiamentu otro banda, which means "the other side." Punda and Otrobanda are connected by Queen Emma Bridge, a long pontoon bridge. The city center of Willemstad boasts an array of colonial architecture that is influenced by Dutch styles. The city center, with its peculiar architecture and beautiful harbour entry, has been made a UNESCO world heritage site.
Due to its location near the South American oilfields, its political stability and its natural deep water harbor, Willemstad became the site of an important seaport and refinery. Willemstad harbor is one of the largest oil handling ports in the Caribbean. The refinery, originally built and owned by Royal Dutch Shell in 1915, was sold to the Curaçao government for one guilder in 1985 and is now leased to PDVSA, the state owned Venezuelan oil company.
The city also is a tourist destination and contains several casinos.
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