Rais.cw Fundashon Famia, Núkleo di Bario

Chèr Asil

La Fama lies north of Cher Asil
Apartment complex at Cher Asil
Cher Asil and surroundings
The Kaminda Salinja forms the northern border of Cher Asil
The Oosterbeekstraat is the main road in Cher Asil. The Eligia Martir vocational school is located here
The neighborhood owes its name to the isolation center that was once located on Velpstraat
Restored building on the border with Berg Altena
The Sint Albertus College is now located in Cher Asil
View of Parerawijk north of Cher Asil
Cher Asil
This little plantation house stands on the corner of Arnhemstraat and Oosterbeekstraat in Cher Asil
The southwest side
Monumental building at Cher Asile

Chèr Asil

Chèr Asil, originally Chère Asile, in popular speech Sarasil, means "beloved place of refuge". According to the author Junnes Sint Jago, the original old manor house "Vianen" lay here, surrounded by three wooden sheds. Because the house lay outside the built-up area, the government set up the isolation centre "Chère Asile" here, popularly called the Kas di Broera (House of Smallpox), to care for victims of the smallpox epidemic (broera). The epidemic, which broke out in May 1862, claimed many victims, especially in Punda, Otrobanda and Pietermaai. The isolation centre was set up by Pastor Kieckens and run by sisters of the Sint Elisabeth hospital, which had opened in 1855. From May to the end of December seven sisters were engaged in nursing there, one of whom herself died of the disease. In those months about 800 people were infected, of whom 390 died. In the hospital, too, some people who suffered less from the disease or were already recovering were nursed.

When the "smallpox house" in the Velpstraat became full, the quarantine building at Santa Barbara was rented in addition. King William the Third later sent a letter of thanks to Pastor Kieckens and his staff for their assistance during the outbreak of the epidemic.

The graves at Chèr Asil

During the hurricane of 1877 the house Chère-Asile was totally destroyed; only the ruin remained standing for years. In the process, part of the graves, which had long lain near the Kas di Broera, were also carried away by the mudflow. Part of the graves had been moved to the cemetery, but according to Father Eeuwens there must still be many graves under floors and in the yards of various houses at Chèr Asil and Monte Verde, which lies to the west of it. Only around 1830 was it compulsory to bury the dead in official places.

At Monte Verde also lay the final resting place of the Commander of the Artillery W. Schmidt, who died on 18 August 1819 and on whose grave a marble plate with an inscription was still mounted.

Monumental building

On the corner of the Oosterbeekstraat and the Arnhemstraat stands a monumental building that looks very much like a small plantation house. It is one of the few old buildings in the neighbourhood, but it has stood empty for years and is badly neglected. Unfortunately it does not (yet) appear on the list of Archaeological Monuments either.

It is known that it was built and inhabited by the American ex-serviceman Benjamin, the last owner of the former plantation Santa Catharina.

Sources

  • J. Sint Jago: article "De opkomst van de Curaçaosche wijk Nieuw Nederland" (The rise of the Curaçao neighbourhood Nieuw Nederland).
  • P. Brenneker: Sambumbu, various editions

With thanks to: Junnes Sint Jago and Jeroen Heuvel See also: Nieuw Nederland 1 and 2 and the Oranjestraat