Dutch colonial architecture refers to the variousstyle ofDutch architecture built across theDutch Empire. Though most of the buildings were designed by Dutch architects and dictated by Western architectural styles, even the most ardent style-purists among architects could not escape the forces of context and culture. Dutch colonial architecture often is a result of climatological adaptations or the use of local building materials - and more importantly, the rich and diverse cultural contexts. In this hybridity lies the quality of these buildings. Architecture shows that the strict racial taxonomy of a colonial system could not be maintained.^[1]

Dutch colonial architecture is most visible inIndonesia (especiallyJava andSumatra), theUnited States,South Asia, andSouth Africa. In Indonesia, formerlyDutch East Indies, colonial architecture was studied academically and had developed into anew tropical architecture form which emphasizes on conforming to the tropical climate of the Indies and not completely imitating the architectural language of the Dutch colonists.

Dutch colonial architecture inIndonesia were built across the archipelago that once was known asDutch East Indies. Dutch colonial architecture in Indonesia is a unique cultural phenomenon. It is a mixture of Dutch colonial and Indonesian culture. It does not exist elsewhere, even in the other former colonized countries.^[2] The uniqueness of these buildings can be seen in their colonial relics. As a result, there are large number of colonial buildings concentrated in its cities. Plenty of oldVOC era forts and warehouses are also scattered throughout the archipelago, particularly aroundMaluku Islands andSulawesi. There are three Dutch colonial architectural styles:Old Indies Style,Indies Empire style, andNew Indies Style.

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  Fort Rotterdam inMakassar, built in 1673
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  National Archives of Indonesia
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  Jakarta History Museum, formerlyStadhuis van Batavia
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  Jakarta Art Building
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  Gedung Sate,Bandung
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  Lawang Sewu,Semarang
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  Wayang Museum
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  Medan Old City Hall
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  De Javasche Bank, nowBank Indonesia
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  Bank Negara Indonesia,Yogyakarta
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  Warenhuis de Vries, Bandung
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  Youth building, Surabaya
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  Kota Post Office
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  Yogyakarta railway station
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  Merdeka Palace, currently resides thepresident of Indonesia.
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  Savoy Homann Hotel with DutchArt Deco architecture
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  Art Deco Row Buildings atBraga Street
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  Blenduk Church
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  Jakarta Cathedral
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  Church of the Birth of Our Lady

Suriname's capital,Paramaribo is a former Dutch colonial town from the 17th and 18th centuries planted on the northern coast of tropical South America. The original and highly characteristic street plan of the historic centre remains intact. Its buildings illustrate the gradual fusion of Dutch architectural influence with traditional local techniques and materials.^[3]

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  Fort Zeelandia
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  Independence Square (House Du Plessis)
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  Independence Square (Ministry of Finance)
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  Presidential Palace of Suriname
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  Waterkant
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  St. Peter and Paul Cathedral
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  Centrumkerk

Developed from around 1630 with the arrival of Dutch colonists toNew Amsterdam and theHudson River Valley in what is nowNew York^[4] and inBergen in what is nowNew Jersey.^[5][6] Initially the settlers built small, one room cottages with stone walls and steep roofs to allow a second floor loft. By 1670 or so, two-story gable-end homes were common in New Amsterdam.

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  The Wyckoff Farm inFlatbush, Brooklyn. Some of its construction still dates from the Dutch period of what is currently New York City.
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  Bronck House, Coxsackie, NY, built 1663; Dutch Colonial
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  13–15 South William Street, constructed in the Dutch Colonial Revival architecture evoking New Amsterdam

Dutch Colonial is a style of domestic architecture, primarily characterized bygambrel roofs having curvedeaves along the length of the house. Modern versions built in the early 20th century are more accurately referred to as "Dutch Colonial Revival", a subtype of theColonial Revival style.

The Dutch came toIndia in the early 17th century and their influence and dominance is seen most inKerala, though they occupied other parts of the country, such as, some areas along the southernCoromandel Coast andGujarat. However, it is in Kerala, especiallyCochin that Dutch architecture finds it existence. On the eastern coast,Pulicat was the first settlement of Dutch India and till date is home to the Dutch cemetery visited by tourists.^[7]

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  Bolgatty Palace
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  Dutch Memorial Monument of Susanna Anna Maria
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  Typical Dutch colonial architecture in Old Cochin, Kochi
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  Ruins of St. Francis Church, Fort Kochi
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  Old Harbour Hotel

Many building from theDutch Ceylon era could be found on the coastal parts of the island. For example, the old town ofGalle and its fortifications built by the Dutch in the year 1663 make up aUNESCO World Heritage Site. Historic buildings, such as old churches, can be found in many Sri Lankan cities and towns.

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  Dutch ramparts of theGalle fort
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  National Museum of Galle, former Dutch Comissariat
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  Old Dutch Hospital
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  Colombo Dutch Museum
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  National Maritime Museum or Dutch Warehouse
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  Amangalla
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  Dutch Reformed Church in Matara, built in 1706
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  Groote Kerk
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  Star Fort,Matara
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  St. Lucia's Cathedral,Colombo

Dutch architecture are found mostly in theWestern Cape ofSouth Africa, but modern examples of the style have also been exported as far afield as Western Australia and New Zealand, typically on wine estates. The style was prominent in the early days (17th century) of theCape Colony, and the name derives from the initial settlers of the Cape being primarily Dutch.

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  Main house of theGroot Constantia vineyard nearCape Town
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  Tuynhuys,Cape Town
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  Cape Dutch building inStellenbosch.
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  The Stellenbosch office of the Cape Winelands District Municipality
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  A Cape Dutch homestead atDe Hoop
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  Old Slave Lodge, Cape Town
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  Wittedrift Manor House inTulbagh
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  Reinet House inGraaff Reinet
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  Moederkerk in Stellenbosch
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  Dutch Reformed Church inFranschhoek, built in 1847
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  Old Dutch Reformed Church,Ladismith

• Architecture of the Netherlands
• Dutch Colonial Revival architecture
• Colonial architecture of Indonesia
• Cape Dutch architecture
• List of Dutch colonial buildings in Sri Lanka

Other colonial architecture

• French colonial architecture
• Portuguese colonial architecture
• Spanish colonial architecture

• Dutch colonial architecture
• Architectural styles
• Dutch colonial empire
• Dutch architectural styles

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata