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- The wooden twin towers and facade: This is the sight everyone comes for. The cathedral on Henck Arronstraat in Paramaribo is built of Surinamese hardwood, with an interior of unpainted cedar, and its two slender towers rise to roughly 44 meters. Stand across the street and notice how the pale ochre paint and neat white trim make the whole building look lighter than its enormous bulk.
- The nave and its pale interior: Step inside and the first thing you notice is the quiet and the smell of aged wood. Gothic-style arches and slender columns soar overhead, all made from timber rather than stone, and the unpainted wood gives the space a warm, honey-colored glow.
- The vaulted ceiling: Look straight up. The ribbed vaults are wood, and the scale of them is what makes people go silent.
- The stained glass
- The wooden twin towers and facade: This is the sight everyone comes for. The cathedral on Henck Arronstraat in Paramaribo is built of Surinamese hardwood, with an interior of unpainted cedar, and its two slender towers rise to roughly 44 meters. Stand across the street and notice how the pale ochre paint and neat white trim make the whole building look lighter than its enormous bulk.
- The nave and its pale interior: Step inside and the first thing you notice is the quiet and the smell of aged wood. Gothic-style arches and slender columns soar overhead, all made from timber rather than stone, and the unpainted wood gives the space a warm, honey-colored glow.
- The vaulted ceiling: Look straight up. The ribbed vaults are wood, and the scale of them is what makes people go silent.
- The stained glass and the side altars: Light filters through colored windows and lands in patches on the floorboards, shifting through the afternoon. The side altars are modest, and you can examine the carving up close without a crowd in the way.
- The organ and choir loft: Above the entrance sits the organ. If a rehearsal or Mass is under way, the sound moves through the timber in a way that stone churches cannot match, a little warmer and a little more rounded.
- Sunday Mass: This is the best way to see the place alive. Locals arrive in their best clothes, fans move the heavy air, and hymns mix Dutch and Sranan Tongo. Sit at the back, keep your camera down and your voice low, and you will be welcome.
- Independence Square and the surrounding streets: Step outside and the presidential palace, the white wooden colonial facades and the Suriname River waterfront are all within a short walk. Early morning is the coolest time and the light on the timber is softest.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.