Suriname was once a Dutch colony, and the Dutch builders who arrived hundreds of years ago brought their own style of tall, narrow townhouses with them. But in South America they had to adapt - the tropical climate is very humid, and bricks crack in the heat. So they built with the strong local hardwoods from the rainforest instead. The result is a city that looks like Amsterdam, but made entirely of timber.
The most impressive building is Fort Zeelandia, a small fortress by the river that was built in the 1600s. Nearby is Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, which is one of the largest wooden churches in the Western Hemisphere. Both buildings have stood for hundreds of years, which shows how well tropical hardwood lasts when it is looked after.
Today, people from more than ten different cultures live side by side in Paramaribo - Hindustani, Javanese, Creole, Chinese, Maroon, European, and indigenous Amerindian communities all call the city home. This mix makes the food, music and street life of Paramaribo unlike any other city in the world.