Fort Oranje Lighthouse (Kralendijk, Bonaire)

 military, lighthouse, place with historical importance, courthouse, fortification

Built by the Dutch in 1639, Fort Oranje was the sole point of defense for Kralendijk from the British, raiders, and pirates. Rebuilt and further fortified several times through its history, the Fort served as the home to the Governer of Bonaire through 1837 and was eventually armed with several cannons from a British Man-of-War which grounded on Bonaire's Southern coast in the early 1800's.

Though ownership of Bonaire was swapped between the British and Dutch several times since the fort was built, the Fort and its guns never saw action. After the Anglo-Dutch Treaty, the fort had a wooden lighthouse added to its structure in 1868, which was later replaced by a stone structure in 1932. During this period, the fort saw less military use and more use as a government center, warehouse for government goods and as a prison, police and fire station.

Restored in 1999 and now open for tours, the main buildings of the Fort now serve as the main courthouse for the island.