WILLEMSTAD – Last week, the Carmabi foundation signed an agreement with Foundation Monumentenfonds with regards to the maintenance to be completed at Landhuis Savonet. This old country house is found in the Christoffel Park. Maintenance to the buildings inside this park falls under the responsibility of Carmabi, who manages the park. Landhuis Savonet is one of the oldest country houses of Curacao. The ticket sale of the park, the shop and the Savonet Museum currently reside in these buildings.
Foundation Monumentenfonds
The foundation Monumentenfonds Curaçao (MFC) provides restoration financing in the form of subsidies and loans to individuals and organizations that want to restore or maintain their protected monument. MFC also provides information and advice on financial and architectural aspects of restoration and maintenance of monuments. MFC made a donation and loan available to Carmabi for the maintenance of Landhuis Savonet.
Landhuis Savonet
Plantation Savonet was one of the first plantations in Curaçao and, together with plantation Zorgvlied, it comprised almost 1,600 hectares of land. It supplied wool, maize, seeds, meat and wood. In the second half of the 19th century there were 2,400 sheep, 850 goats, 400 cows and 60 pigs around. In 2010 the Landhuis reopened after a thorough renovation and today serves as a cultural museum with information about the former plantation and the cultural history of Curaçao.
The Plantation Bell with clapper donated in April 2017 by Dhr. Nanno Sommensen. He found the bell in the sixties in the Zevenbergen area (Christoffel Park)
Historical recovery
With the support and financial resources from Monumentenfonds, the Landhuis will be maintained with this project. Work will be completed on locks, roofs and roof tiles, windows and shutters. An important historical part of the Landhuis will also be restored. In April 2017, an old Plantation Bell was donated to the Landhuis. Mr. Nanno Nommensen found this Bell in the Zevenbergen area at the end of the sixties. He took the bell to the Netherlands but eventually decided to donate it to the Savonetmuseum. The old cradle (the part which mounts the bell) has been found later at Sint Hyronimus and donated to the Landhuis by Mr. Franklin Finies. The bell, in its cradle, will be mounted on a wooden beam and placed on the location where the original plantation bell was: on the wall of the terrace of the land house.
"To maintain the state and history of the Landhuis it is important to perform maintenance to the building continuously. We will use the financial resources and guidance we receive from Monumentenfonds to further improve the state of the Landhuis, restore it and carry out maintenance on the roofs, floors and drains of the mansion." Says Carmabi Director, Paul Stokkermans.
Signing of the agreemement with Monumentenfonds in 2018
(From left to right)
- Richard Cardose (Secretary of the Board of Carmabi)
- Paul Stokkermans (Director Carmabi)
- Sue-Shantely Lourens (Management Assistant Carmabi for the Christoffelpark)
- Jonathan Jukema (Director Monumentenfonds)
- Kenneth Heidweiller (Vice President of the Board Carmabi)
- Rhuendley Janzen (Project leader Monumentenfonds)
Over CARMABI:
Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity (CARMABI) is a non-profit foundation on the island of Curaçao, established in 1955. The organization started as a marine research institute, but during the years, focused more and more on nature management and environmental education. Now the organization exists of 4 departments;
Scientific research
Management of nature parks
Environmental education
Public advice and consultancy to third parties.
Over Landhuis Savonet
Plantation Savonet was one of the first plantations in Curaçao and, together with plantation Zorgvlied, it comprised almost 1,600 hectares of land. It supplied wool, maize, seeds, meat and wood (as a raw material for paint). In the second half of the 19th century there were 2,400 sheep, 850 goats, 400 cows and 60 pigs around. The old manor house was set on fire by the British in 1804 when they invaded. It was restored to its former glory in the early 19th century. In 2010 the Landhuis reopened after a thorough renovation and today serves as a cultural museum with information about the former plantation and the cultural history of Curaçao. It is accessible for visitors to the Christoffel Park and can also be visited separately from the park for only 5, - NAF per person.
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