
Treasure of History
Plantation house “Rooi Catootje”, located in one of Curaçao’s busiest residential areas, does not instantly catch one’s eye. Set back from the road, surrounded by a wooded area, it is passed daily by many who do not realize that the house and its collection represent a unique historical monument. Not only for Curaçao, but also for the Caribbean.
Dating from about 1820 the mansion was originally built on a plantation know as “Rust en Vrede” (Rest & Peace). The name “Rooi Catootje” was adopted in the mid-nineteenth century.
The house has been the property of the Maduro family since 1853, when S.E.L. Maduro brought it as a gift to his wife Rebecca Curiel from her parent’s estate. That is how Rooi Catootje became the family’s country residence.