In the 17th century, the Netherlands formed the base from which trading posts spread to America, Africa, and Asia. Cities such as New York, Cape Town, and Jakarta still show reminders of colonial background in Dutch street patterns and buildings at their inner centers. Many interesting buildings were built in the 18th century: wooden buildings in Surinam; splendid town and country houses and a synagogue (dating from 1732) in Curaçao; ruins on Saint Eustatius; forts in Ghana; town and country houses in South Africa; etc. The 19th century left us magnificent churches, houses, and government buildings. The 20th century saw the first large-scale restoration work in Indonesia. However, unlike the architecture of the Netherlands itself during that same period, this phase of colonial architecture never draws attention in international critical studies and journals.