Christelle Landhuis Bloemhof
Curaçao is not just sun, sea and beach, spread across the island you will find more than 80 country houses, still intact, often with a rich history. A special and well-maintained example is Landhuis Bloemhof.
Landhuis Bloemhof
You will find this cultural center right in the bend when you turn from Schottegatweg Oost to Santa Rosaweg. The Mansion can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Tip : drive a little further and park in the Number Ten car park, so that if you are still walking around in the garden after closing time, you can simply walk over the bridge to the car.
Cultural center with plenty of history
Landhuis Bloemhof dates back to 1735 and has been in the hands of the same family since the early 1900s. The grounds consist not only of the mansion, but also of a large garden full of works of art and sculptures. Do you like something and would you like to put it in your home? That is possible, as many of the items are for sale. On the former water plantation you will find, in addition to the large house, an art studio, a large original well, a bathhouse, but also the Cathedral of Thorns. Workshops are also regularly given by local artists, you can watch cultural films every month in the small outdoor theater and musical performances are given.
Progressive women
What makes the history of this country house rare is that it has been owned by a woman for over 100 years. May Henriquez inherited the mansion in 1972 and decided to convert the carriage house into her sculpture studio. Since then, Landhuis Bloemhof has been an important place for the local Curaçao art scene. For example, important and major plays were translated into Papiamento by May and performed by local theaters, concerts, receptions and exhibitions were held.
Exhibitions of local art
May Henriquez died in 1999 and her daughters and granddaughter took over Landhuis Bloemhof and set up a foundation ‘Stichting Exploitatie Bloemhof’. The country house has been open to visitors since 2002. Every 6 to 8 weeks there is a new exhibition with art from local artists. Would you like to know which exhibition is currently on display? You can find this on the country house’s website. Upon entry you can buy a ticket (NAF 18 for adults and NAF 10.50 for children), the proceeds of which go to the foundation. Just like the proceeds from the nice works of art that are for sale in the shop.
Cathedral of Thorns
In 2020, the artwork ‘Cathedral of Thorns’ designed by artist Herman van Bergen was opened in the garden of Landhuis Bloemhof. The artwork is made from thorns of the Acacia Tortuosa and in the shape of a labyrinth. You can walk through it and admire art from other artists. Elements of all religions can also be found in the artwork.
Guided tours
Short introductory tours are given daily at 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM. The staff is clearly enthusiastic about the country house and you can hear this in their stories. After this you can walk around freely. Do you really want to know everything about the Mansion? Then you can make a reservation for an extensive tour. On Wednesday there is a personal tour that focuses on the art at Landhuis Bloemhof and you can also meet Herman van Bergen. On Thursdays there is an art, history and nature tour at 9:30 am and on the first Friday of the month at 7:30 pm there is an event focused on (an illuminated) Cathedral of Thorns.
A cultural excursion
Dushi Korsou is more than just beautiful beaches and nice weather. The island has a rich history and the local art is more than worth seeing. Especially because there is not much awareness for this yet. Landhuis Bloemhof is a really nice trip if you are interested in the history, art and nature of Curaçao. There are many shady spots and you can combine Landhuis Bloemhof with, for example, a lunch at the adjacent Number Ten.
In short, Landhuis Bloemhof is definitely worth a visit. Check the website to see when there are events. The event on the first Friday evening of the month is certainly worth it.
