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 t's hard to miss Fort Christian, with its Victorian clock tower and stone walls painted bright red. Built in 1671, the fort was the first structure in Charlotte-Amalie, and is the oldest building still in use on St. Thomas. Fort Christian successfully defended the Danish against attacks from Spanish, English, and French forces, as well as pirates. By the late 1800s the fort was no longer needed as a military stronghold, and so was used as a police station, courthouse and jail for the next hundred years. Today it houses historical exhibits and art galleries.
The Seven Arches Museum, located in a private home originally built in 1857, is a monument to the history of the property and 19th century Caribbean life. Formerly inhabited by a Danish craftsman, the house has been meticulously reconstructed by occupants Barbara Demaras and Philibert Fluck. Over a period of 12 years the couple researched historical records, rebuilt the house from the foundation up, excavated parts of the courtyard, and created what is now a welcoming recreation of a bygone era. A dining room, sitting room, and bedroom feature Caribbean mahogany furniture, white-shuttered windows, antique linens, Royal Copenhagen porcelain, and a Caribbean Christmas treeóa preserved, flowering stem of an Agave plant standing eight feet tall. The Danish kitchen with its typical brick oven is particularly charming. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5.
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