Willemstad NL (Netherlands North Brabant)

Willemstad is a Hollands Diep River (Rhine River) cruise port and a star-shaped town in the Netherlands' North Brabant province (Moerdijk municipality) with population around 3,000. The nearest major cities are Rotterdam, Dordrecht, and Breda. River port's namesake is Curacao's capital city (and Dutch Caribbean / Southern Caribbean cruise port) Willemstad.

Noord-Brabant's Willemstad received its city rights in 1585 and is best known for its well-preserved fortifications (Vestingwerken van Willemstad) declared in 1970 "Rijksbeschermd gezicht" (protected cityscape). The town is located on Holland's Diep River (estuary of Rhine River) and was named after King Willem van Oranje (William I, Prince of Orange, 1533-1584, aka Willem de Zwijger / William the Silent). William of Orange was the leader of the Dutch Revolt (of Holland's Protestant Seven Provinces) against Spain (Habsburgs) inciting the Eighty Years War (1568-1648) which resulted in Holland's independence (in 1581).

Willemstad's current-day economy is largely based on tourism and boating (two yacht marinas). Among town's numerous architectural landmarks are Mauritshuis (early-17th-century residence of Prince Maurits), De Koepelkerk (early-17th-century protestant church), De Heilige Maagd Mariakerk (Virgin Mary Church, late-19th-century), d'Orangemolen (mid-18th-century scaffolding mill), Het Arsenaal (late-18th-century Arsenal), Het Oude (Old Town Hall, late-16th-century), authentic houses (built in 17th-18th-centuries), museums (within the fortress).

As a river cruise port, Willemstad is visited mainly by ships from the fleet of Avalon Waterways.