Aruba’s historic City Hall: The house that love built

The House That Love Built: Aruba’s Historic City Hall

Let’s explore Aruba’s historic City Hall. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to the house that love built. Not to be confused with the house of love, that’s something else. The reason I call it the house that love built is because of an interesting story.

You see, back in the roaring 20’s, if a dapper young chap wanted to marry a young lady, said chap needed to be in the good graces of this lady’s father. And to achieve that you needed two things:

1. A well-paying job
2. A house, dwelling, pad
   
   
   

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A Doctor, a Daughter, and a Dream House

Dr Eloy Arends was a doctor, so daddy was half happy his daughter was marrying a doctor. Legend has it that when the good doctor came back from a trip to Colombia, he decided to build a house in the prominent Baroque (or Neo-Baroque if you want to be super precise) style architecture of those days.

The project started in 1922. Mind you, we have a superstition that if the lucky lady sets sights on the house before it is finished there will be bad luck on the marriage. Don’t ask me how it was possible that this massive building project was developed without her noticing. Let’s say for the sake of the myth that she didn’t, and upon completion in 1925 they got married and lived happily ever after.

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From Love Nest to City Hall

With the passage of time, the house soon started to fall into disrepair and decay. At a certain point the council of ambulatory addicts decided to have their meetings in the house. The meetings got so hot and heated half the house burnt down.

It was at that exact moment that someone decided enough is enough, and with the help of the Monumenten Fonds and the government at that time, they renovated the house and made it Aruba’s City Hall—where everybody gets legally married, yaaay!

Tradition, Superstition, and Marriage in Aruba

Note: Aruba is a happy island not a perfect one. There are some ambulatory (base, crack-) addicts derogatorily labeled “chollers” who mostly roam the center of Oranjestad, yet according to research Aruba’s primary drug of choice and consequence is alcohol.

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Queue the fanfare, applause, and pyrotechnics. Right behind the city hall there’s the census office where you can arrange a date with the notary and sign your life away. I mean, get legally married, heheh.

Traditionally, one would sign the nuptials here then venture to a later location for their choice ceremony. Just so you know, Aruba is a secular society—we separate church from state—meaning you can have any kind of ceremony you want for your wedding: church, beach, skydiving… it’s all good.

City Hall Today: Where Aruba Says “I Do”

But, to be recognized by the government you need to get married in City Hall.

Guys, that’s it for today’s episode. I hope you enjoyed the tour. As always, once a guest always a friend.

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