Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was named after the wife of King Christian V, during the times of Danish rule in 1691 and it is often referred to as 'Charam'. Danish administration ended in 1917, but Charlotte Amalie still boasts countless Danish street names and other references to Denmark. The city sits on a large bay and has long been a busy port and it is a lively place. Countless cruise ships visit Charlotte Amalie every year and the center of town is always packed with tourists.

In the town's center, you will see various old Danish buildings, painted in pastel colors, as well as an ochre-colored fort. Many street signs in the center of town are in both Danish and English.

The center of Charlotte Amalie is divided into 3 quarters, with Virgin Islands Route 308 connecting them.

• Kongens Kvarter (King's Quarter) contains numerous historic buildings. Most of the U.S. Virgin Islands' government offices are located there. Route 308 is called Nørre Gade (North Street) in Kongens Kvarter.
• Anglican Church.
• The best view over Charlotte Amalie is from Blackbeard's Castle, atop Government Hill.The castle was constructed in 1679 and it was originally called Skytsborg (protection castle). It served as a lookout point for Danish soldiers to spot enemy ships. It currently houses a hotel.
• Bluebeard's Castle was built in the 17th century by the Danes.
• The Camille Pissarro Gallery is dedicated to painter Camille Pissarro.
• The Cathedral Church of All Saints was built in 1848 to celebrate the end of slavery. During the construction, molasses were mixed into the mortar to bind stones together, because of the severely dry environment.
• Emancipation Garden, or Emancipation Park, displays a copy of the Liberty Bell, as well as a statue of a freed slave blowing a conch shell.
• Fort Christian is a modest, red building that was constructed in the 1670s to serve as a combined defense post, government house, church and community hall. Later, after threats of invasions dissipated, it became a jail. Since 1987 Fort Christian is home to St. Thomas Historical Trust Museum, where one can see displays on the region's natural heritage including medicinal plants and bird-life. The museum also houses a collection of art from the Dano-Norwegian period.
• Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church.
• Government House serves as the Capitol building of the Virgin Islands.
• The Catholic Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral is a historic church that was originally built in 1802, but it was destroyed by a fire in 1804. A new church was completed in 1828. In 1837, a hurricane destroyed it and the current building was erected in 1848. The Cathedral's ceilings are adorned with murals depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
• The Seven Arches Museum.
• The Superior Court of the Virgin Islands is housed in the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Complex.
• The Three Queens Statue is a bronze monument that depicts Queen Mary, Queen Agnes and Queen Matilda. The 3 women led a revolution against the Danish Government, demanding better working and living conditions and fairer wages for women. The revolution is known as the 'Fireburn'.
• The United States District Court of the Virgin Islands can be found in the Ron Delugo Federal Building.

• Dronningens Kvarter (Queen's Quarter) mainly consists of residential areas and the city's main commercial shopping district. Route 308 is called Dronningens Gade (Queen Street) here.
• The oldest continually operating synagogue in U.S. territory is the Beracha V'Shalom V'Gimilath Chasidim Synagogue (St. Thomas Synagogue, קהילת קודש ברכה ושלום וגמילות חסדים). It was originally constructed in 1803, but it was later destroyed by fires. Sephardic Jews, fleeing the Spanish Inquisition, built the current synagogue in 1833. It is located at 2116 Crystal Gade, not far from the Rothchild Francis Market Square. In 2000, it was beautifully restored.
• The 99 Steps is the most popular of Charlotte Amalie's so-called step-streets. The steps were constructed by the Danes in the 18th century. They used ballest stones from Danish ships that didn't need them for the return journey, as they were loaded with goods from the island. The 99 Steps lead all the way up to Blackbeard's Castle. 99 Steps was originally known as Store Taarne Gade (Greater Tower Street) and actually include 103 steps.

• Kronprinsens Kvarter (Crown Prince's Quarter) was historically the place where most economic activity took place, including the sale of slaves. There are also residential areas. Route 308 is called Kronprinsens Gade (Crown Prince Street) in Kronprinsens Kvarter.
• Slaves and local produce used to be sold at the Rothchild Francis Market Square. It was once the busiest trading post for slaves in the Caribbean. It is a covered plaza that serves as Charlotte Amalie's local food market.

• Frenchtown is a distinctive neighborhood located southwest from downtown Charlotte Amalie. The community focuses on fishing and it was originally settled by French immigrants, who immigrated from the island of Saint-Barthélemy at the turn of the 20th century. The district has retained a strong French-Caribbean influence that can be seen in its architecture, traditions, cuisine and the people's way of life. Street names in Frenchtown are mostly in French.
• French Heritage Museum.

Downtown Charlotte Amalie is bounded by Virgin Islands Highway 30, which is colloquially known as Veterans Drive, or the Waterfront Highway, in the south. In other parts of the city, you known that you exit the downtown area, when street names are in English. Inside downtown Charlotte Amalie, they are mostly in Danish.

There are numerous hotels and restaurants in Charlotte Amalie, but most visitors arrive on a cruise ship and only visit Charlotte Amalie on a day trip. Charlotte Amalie is on the the southern shore of Saint Thomas Island.

Charlotte Amalie ©Prayitno Photography

Charlotte Amalie ©Prayitno Photography

Charlotte Amalie ©Karl Callwood

Kronprinsens Kvarter ©Andy Feliciotti

Fort Christian ©David Stanley

Fort Christian ©Roger Darnell

Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church ©David Stanley

Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral ©Larry Syverson