Fodor's Expert Review West-Indisch Huis

The former headquarters of the Dutch West India Company (WIC) has major historical significance. Although not as sovereign as the Dutch East India Company, it was essentially given free rein to trade on Africa's west coast, the Americas, and all the islands of the West Pacific and New Guinea. The WIC also oversaw the infamous export of 275,000 slaves from West Africa to the Caribbean in the 17th century. In these rooms, the decision was made to buy Manhattan for the equivalent of 60 guilders. The building is now largely used as an events space; but there's also a wonderful wine bar, and you can visit the courtyard to see the statue of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch director-general of Nieuw-Nederland---today better known as New York City.