Historical city centre

Paramaribo's distinctive historic city centre, packed with wooden buildings from colonial times, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since July 2002. It's the planned nature and remarkable architecture that makes this place unique. The spacious, tree-lined street plan was laid out by the first Dutch governor in the 17th century. Most of the mansions originate from the first half of the 19th century however, as they had to be rebuilt after large city fires in 1821 and 1832. The designs are clearly inspired by Dutch architecture of the time, but incorporated a range of indigenous techniques and used local materials. The Waterkant and Mr.Lim A Postraat have some of the best examples. Many of the wooden houses are in dire need of restoration, however, to the point where UNESCO has urged the state to address the problem and threatened to revoke the city's status.

• history