Europe
Netherlands
Middelburg
Town hall
Stadhuis Middelburg
Name:Stadhuis Middelburg
Construction period:1452 – 1520
Commissioned by:City of Middelburg
Architects:Keldermans family of architects
Architectural style:Late Gothic
Highest structure:“Malle Betje”, approx. 55 meters
Seat of administration:until 2004
National monument:since 1966

14 Fun Facts about Stadhuis Middelburg

 

  1. Location: The Stadhuis Middelburg stands at the center of the market square and is a defining feature of the historic cityscape. Narrow streets surround the building, along with the former abbey complex and its Lange Jan tower, typical gabled houses, and several other historic structures.
  2. Significance: The Stadhuis Middelburg is one of the city’s most important historic buildings and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful Late Gothic town halls in the Netherlands. It serves as a prominent landmark, a popular photo spot, and a central venue for guided tours, events, and official occasions.
  3. Earlier Town Halls: Before the present town hall was built on the market square, Middelburg’s earlier town halls stood in other parts of the city, including on Lange Delft street. The medieval town hall located there was destroyed by fire in 1426 and later rebuilt. A few decades afterward, the city decided to construct a new representative town hall on the market square.
  4. Construction History: Construction of the present town hall began in 1452 as a prestigious new building on the market square and was carried forward over several generations by the Keldermans family of master builders. The first section of the building was already in use by 1458, while the richly decorated façade, the distinctive tower, and many Gothic details were added gradually. Around 1520 the town hall was completed and has displayed the Late Gothic splendor that made it famous ever since.
  5. Court and Executions: In the past, the Stadhuis Middelburg was not only the seat of government but also a place where justice was administered, as the city’s courtroom, known as the Vierschaar, was located on the ground floor. Middelburg held the right of high justice and was therefore permitted to impose death sentences, which were usually carried out publicly on the market square directly in front of the town hall after the verdict was announced. Such executions took place there until 1838.
  6. Cuypers Restoration: The Stadhuis Middelburg has been restored several times throughout its history. One of the most significant restoration phases began in 1884 under the direction of the Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station. During this work, the tower and large sections of the façades were restored, supplemented, or redesigned. As a result, many details that visitors today assume to be medieval actually date from restorations carried out in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
  7. Second World War: On 17 May 1940 the historic center of Middelburg was heavily destroyed during the fighting of the Second World War, and the Stadhuis Middelburg also caught fire. The flames destroyed almost the entire interior of the Late Gothic town hall, while parts of the façades remained standing. After the war, an extensive reconstruction began, during which the Gothic exterior was carefully restored and the interior spaces were newly designed. On 18 August 1950 the town hall was reopened in the presence of Queen Juliana, although restoration work on façades, sculptures, and stone carvings continued for many decades afterward.
  8. Current Use: The historic Stadhuis Middelburg is now part of the campus of University College Roosevelt, where lectures take place in several of its halls. At the same time, representative rooms such as the Burgerzaal and the Trouwzaal continue to be used for weddings, conferences, cultural events, and guided tours. The city administration itself has been located since June 2004 in the Stadskantoor on Kanaalweg 3.
  9. The Main Tower: The main tower is popularly known as “Malle Betje,” a name that roughly translates as “crazy Betje” or “foolish Betje,” because its tower clock is traditionally said to run slightly slower than the clock of the nearby Lange Jan tower. The tower originated during the construction of the town hall, which began in 1452, and received its present form between 1560 and 1562. The carillon has been one of the defining features of the tower since the 16th century. Somewhat later, figures were added that move at the strike of the hour and appear to fight each other.
  10. Magnificent Façade: The impressive market façade of the Stadhuis Middelburg is one of the finest examples of Late Gothic architecture in the Netherlands and was largely created between 1512 and 1514 under the master builder Anthonie Keldermans. Especially striking is the row of 25 stone figures set into the façade niches, representing former counts and countesses of Zeeland. These figures were originally painted in bright colors and adorned with gilded crowns. The appearance seen today reflects several construction and restoration phases, as many figures were replaced over the centuries and the building had to be extensively restored after the severe war damage of 1940.
  11. Window Shutters: The white and red window shutters are among the most distinctive features of the façade and play a key role in the building’s unmistakable appearance. In earlier centuries, glass was an expensive material, so many windows were glazed only in their upper sections. The lower part was closed with wooden shutters that could be opened to let light and fresh air into the building. Only when glass became more affordable were the windows fully glazed, while the characteristic shutters remained as an important architectural feature.
  12. Wedding Hall: The wedding hall is one of the most representative rooms in the building and is still used today for civil wedding ceremonies. The festively decorated space is particularly striking for its Flemish tapestries from the late 16th century, historic portraits, and a Gothic stone fireplace dating from 1549.
  13. Meat Hall: In the Middle Ages, the Stadhuis Middelburg was not only the seat of the city government but also an important center of urban trade. Directly adjoining the town hall was a meat hall where butchers sold their goods while the city simultaneously supervised quality and prices. This so called Vleeshal remained in operation until around 1900 and today serves as an exhibition space for contemporary art.
  14. Sundial: A large sundial from 1729 is mounted on the façade of the former meat hall and was designed by the city architect Jan de Munck. Because the façade is not oriented exactly to the south, the sundial can indicate the time only between about 4 and 17 o’clock and also runs roughly half an hour slow. After several relocations during the 20th century, the sundial, which weighs more than 3,000 kilograms, was returned to its original position on the town hall in 1995.