The City Hall in

Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English) is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropoli ...

is the seat of the city's government. It was built in the 14th century replacing the Count's castle.

History

Around 1100 a wooden building was constructed on the location of the current ''Gravenzaal'' of the City Hall. Traces of this building were found in 1955. After large fires in 1347 and 1351,

William I, Duke of Bavaria William I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing (Frankfurt am Main, 1330–1389, Le Quesnoy), was the second son of Emperor Louis IV and Margaret II of Hainaut. He was also known as William V, Count of Holland, as William III, Count of Hainaut and ...

who was also the Count of Holland at that time, donated the remains of the Gravenzaal to the city's municipality. A new building was built there. The central square building dates from the Middle Ages, but the distinctive façade of the building was designed by architect

Lieven de Key Lieven de Key (1560 – 17 July 1627) was a Dutch renaissance architect in the Netherlands, mostly known today for his works in Haarlem. His style is described by Simon Schama as Mannerist. Biography De Key was born in Ghent, and was already a ...

and built from 1602-1604. The way it originally looked can be seen in a painting from 1460 by the Master of Bellaert. Originally the city hall was just the front of the building, and the rear cloister belonged to the Dominican brotherhood. After the Protestant Reformation this came into the possession of the city council and it is now a large complex with offices and meeting rooms. Both the

Frans Hals Museum The Frans Hals Museum is a museum located in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The museum was established in 1862. In 1950, the museum was split in two locations when the collection of modern art was moved to the '' Museum De Hallen'' (since 2018 called ...

and the

Haarlem Public Library The Stadsbibliotheek Haarlem (Haarlem Public Library) is a collective name for all public libraries in the Haarlem area of the Netherlands. The first ''public'' library of Haarlem opened in 1921 at the cloisters of the Haarlem City Hall where ...

originally were located in the city hall. File:Opstanding van het Kaas- en Broodvolk in Haarlem in 1492 NCRD01 054759498.JPG, This 1750 "historic" engraving of an uprising in 1492 shows the tower which was torn down in 1672, the old stairs that were redesigned in 1730, and the balcony in front of the "

Vierschaar A Vierschaar is a historical term for a tribunal in the Netherlands. Before the separation of lawmaking, law enforcement, and justice duties, the government of every town was administered by a senate (called a ''Wethouderschap'') formed of two, thr ...

" which was torn down in 1855. File:Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde - Haarlem City hall with figures on the Grote markt - 1671 FHM OS-I-10.JPG, This painting by

Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde Gerrit Adriaenszoon Berckheyde (1638 – 10 June 1698) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, active in Haarlem, Amsterdam, and The Hague, who is best known today for his cityscapes. Biography Berckheyde was born and died in Haarlem. Christe ...

in 1671 shows the 17th-century situation that the 18th century engraving was based on. File:Gevelsteen Haarlem stadhuis - wapen met dorre boom.jpg, This lion used to be on the staircase and is visible in

painting of 1671 File:Haarlem - Stadhuis 1900.jpg, In this photograph from c.1900 the tower is gone, the stairs have their railing, the balcony is gone, and on the right a large clock can be seen that served until after WWII. The town hall is still used for civic weddings and nearly every Friday in Spring, brides can be seen entering and leaving by the main stairway. All year on Saturdays and Mondays there is a big market in front of the City Hall, where on Saturdays mainly flowers, household goods, and food is sold, though on Mondays the products are mainly cloth, sewing accessories and clothing. Although the market is frequented by the local population, it is also a tourist attraction and worth a visit, if only to try the raw herring from the fish stand, or ''stroopwafels'' from the stroopwafel stand. The town hall is also still used for state visits, most recently when the King and Queen paid a visit to Haarlem on 14 June 2013. They heard the local choir ''Zang en Vriendschap'' sing and received a book about all the previous royal state visits to Haarlem. File:Haarlem-stadhuis-trouwerij.jpg, The city hall is traditionally the place where residents have their civic wedding ceremony. File:Haarlem waves back at Maxima 14 June 2013.jpg, Haarlem waves back at Queen Maxima, 14 June 2013 The town hall was traditionally a gathering place for various gentlemen, and the

Dutch Society of Science The Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen (Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities), located on the east side of the Spaarne in downtown Haarlem, Netherlands, was established in 1752 and is the oldest society for the scie ...

started meeting there in 1752, which was the beginning of a municipal museum for natural history, that today no longer exists, though its "competitor" founded in 1781 still does; namely the

Teylers Museum Teylers Museum () is an art, natural history, and science museum in Haarlem, Netherlands. Established in 1778, Teylers Museum was founded as a centre for contemporary art and science. The historic centre of the museum is the neoclassical Oval R ...

Johannes Abraham Bierens de Haan Johan(nes) Abraham Bierens de Haan (March 17, 1883 – June 13, 1958) was a Dutch biologist and ethologist. He was born in Haarlem, and died in Siena, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy ...

, De geschiedenis van een verdwenen Haarlemsch museum van natuurlijke historie. Het Kabinet van Naturalien van de Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen 1759–1866. Haarlem, F. Bohn, 1941. When they moved out, the paintings stayed and they became the Haarlem municipal museum, which moved out in 1913 to become the Frans Hals museum. File:Haarlem stadhuis - zijlstraat.jpg, Wing designed by Lieve de Key in the Zijlstraat. File:Pandpoort Stadhuis Haarlem.JPG, "Pandpoort", main entrance during opening hours. File:Stadhuis Haarlem bordes met roepstoel ontworpen door Salomon de Bray 1630.jpg, Door and balcony designed by

Salomon de Bray Salomon de Bray (1597 – 11 May 1664) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and architect. Biography De Bray was born in Amsterdam, but established himself in Haarlem before 1617, where he is registered as being a member of the schutterij that y ...

in 1630

Inside

A large number of paintings and objects from Haarlem's rich history can be found inside the building. One series of paintings depict the various

counts of Holland The counts of Holland ruled over the County of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century. House of Holland The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia (Dijkstra suggests th ...

, starting from Dirk I to Maximilian from Austria. In the Middle Ages these paintings were hanging in the Carmelieten Cloister in Haarlem; they were painted between 1486 and 1491. In 1570 it is mentioned in city archives that the paintings were hanging in the City Hall; possibly they were moved there in 1566 to protect them from the iconoclastic riots. Other paintings and objects are either part of the original interior, or too big to fit in the Frans Hals Museum. Image:Damiate-tapestry-1629.JPG, Wall tapestry of Haarlem crusade ''

Damiaatjes The Damiaatjes (English: Little Damiettas) refer to two bells in the St. Bavochurch of Haarlem that ring every night between nine and nine thirty, to signal the closing of the city's gates and commemorate the conquest of the Egyptian city Damiet ...

'' legend. Image:Damiaatjes glas-in-lood.JPG, Same theme in stained glass. Image:Het wapen van Haarlem.jpg, Painting of the ''legend of the Haarlem shield''. Image:Wandtapijt wapenvermeerdering haarlem.jpg, Same theme in tapestry form. Image:Plakaat jan huygens walviskaak 1594.JPG, Plaque by

Karel van Mander Karel van Mander (I) or Carel van Mander I (May 1548 – 2 September 1606) was a Flemish painter, poet, art historian and art theoretician, who established himself in the Dutch Republic in the latter part of his life. He is mainly remembe ...

commemorating whalebone given to Haarlem by

Jan Huyghen van Linschoten Jan Huygen van Linschoten (1563 – 8 February 1611) was a Dutch merchant, trader and historian. He travelled extensively along the East Indies regions under Portuguese influence and served as the archbishop's secretary in Goa between 1583 ...

from

Willem Barentsz Willem Barentsz (; – 20 June 1597), anglicized as William Barents or Barentz, was a Dutch Republic, Dutch navigator, cartographer, and Arctic explorer. Barentsz went on three expeditions to the far north in search for a Northern Sea Route, N ...

expedition. Image:Walvisbeen stadhuis haarlem.JPG, The whalebone itself, hanging from the rafters. Image:Life-size portrati of Daniel Cajanus in Haarlem city hall.JPG, Painting of the giant

Daniel Cajanus Daniel Cajanus (1704 – 27 February 1749) was a Finnish giant. He made his living by exhibiting himself for money; he appeared in many European countries and attracted the interest of scientists and laypeople, including royalty. After his death, ...

. Image:Kenau hasselaar stadhuis haarlem.JPG, Painting of

Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer (1526–1588) was a wood merchant of Haarlem, who became a legendary folk hero for her fearless defense of the city against the Spanish invaders during the siege of Haarlem in 1573. Biography She was the daughter ...

. Image:Portraits stadhuis haarlem.JPG, One of the double portraits of the Counts of Holland, showing

William II of Holland William II (February 1227 – 28 January 1256) was the Count of Holland and Zeeland from 1234 until his death. He was elected anti-king of Germany in 1248 and ruled as sole king from 1254 onwards. Early life William was the eldest son and heir ...

and

Floris V, Count of Holland Floris V (24 June 1254 – 27 June 1296) reigned as Count of Holland and Zeeland from 1256 until 1296. His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler. He is credited with a mostly peaceful reign, modern ...

References

{{reflist * Het stadhuis van Haarlem: hart van de stad, Wim Cerutti, Haarlem, 2001 Buildings and structures completed in the 14th century Buildings and structures completed in 1604

Rijksmonuments in Haarlem Buildings and structures in Haarlem Frans Hals Museum Tourist attractions in Haarlem 1604 establishments in the Dutch Republic