Fort Amsterdam | Philipsburg (2025)
“Peg Leg Pete and some Pelicans here at Fort Amsterdam, built to protect the capital of Sint Maarten (Dutch side).”
The fort is located on the cape between Great Bay and Little Bay and was built in 1631 by the Dutch. It was originally built as a defense for their colonial outpost and seaport in Sint Maarten. It was later captured by the Spanish just two short years after it was built.
The Spanish occupied it as a military outpost until the end of the War. Later, the fort acted as a radio station for long-distance communications.
All that remains of the fort now are some historic canons and some fortress walls. The canons that once protected the island from attack still point out to sea. When standing among the tattered remains of the place you can still get a real feel of what it was before it started to deteriorate.
The fort is the site of an important archaeological excavation in 1987 that uncovered the skeleton of a Spanish soldier. For the real history aficionados, the Sint Heritage Maarten Museum has many of the artifacts recovered during the excavation that you can see.
The legend Peter Stuyvesant has a well-known story during these times. In April 1644, he coordinated and led an attack in St. Maarten to recover the fort that the Spanish had taken over. Peter thought they had few men. He was severely wrong because as soon as he raised the Dutch flag, the Spanish fired. A cannonball hit Peter, they lost the battle and Peter lost his leg. Peter returned home for recovery, where his right leg was amputated and replaced with a wooden peg.
Peter was given the nicknames “Peg Leg Pete“ and “Old Silver Nails” because he used a wooden stick studded with silver nails as a prosthesis. I mean that’s pretty legendary if you ask me! So if you ever wonder where the wooden leg in pirate movies came from, it might be very well this story.
The panoramic view from the fort offers one of the best Instagramable moments on the island. One side provides a beautiful view of the city of Philipsburg as well as a great view of the cruise ships. On the other side, the Caribbean Sea stretches for miles, and on a bright day, you will even see Saba or Sint Eustatius in the background.
Fort Amsterdam is also well known as one of the best places to spot the national bird of St Maarten, the Pelican. From the top, you can see large groups of brown pelicans diving in and out of the water, scooping up fish. It makes for a spectacular sight. Make it a family day complete with a bit of history, and then spend the afternoon on divi little bay beach or snorkel at the tiki hut.
How to reach Fort Amsterdam:
Fort Amsterdam is exceptionally close to Philipsburg and can be reached on foot or by car. It can be found inside the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort. Parking and visiting the fort are completely FREE. To visit simply tell the guards by the gate you’re going up to the fort, and you can enjoy a leisurely visit.