Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie: legislature building

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie, formerly Saint Thomas, city, capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands and of St. Thomas Island, situated at the head of St. Thomas Harbor on the island’s southern shore. The largest city in the Virgin Islands, it is built on three low volcanic spurs called Frenchman Hill (Foretop Hill), Berg Hill (Maintop), and Government Hill (Mizzentop). Established as a Danish colony in 1672, it was called Charlotte Amalie, or Amalienborg, for the Danish queen. The name was changed to St. Thomas in 1921, but its former name was restored in 1936. There are several examples of Danish colonial architecture. Two castles, attributed to the 18th-century pirates Blackbeard (Edward Teach) and the half-legendary Bluebeard, overlook the harbour. Protected by Hassel Island, the harbour has docking and fueling facilities, machine shops, and shipyards and is also a U.S. submarine base. The economy is based on tourism, handicrafts, and the production of rum, bay rum, and jams. The population is predominantly of African origin, but there is a considerable minority group of French Huguenot origin who has lived there for many generations. Pop. (2000) 11,004; urban agglom., 18,914; (2010) 10,354.