Stadhuis van Breda

Breda is a city in the west of North Brabant with a long history as a fortified town, a seat of the Nassau family and a place of treaties. The Grote Markt, the main square, is surrounded by buildings of different periods, among them the great Gothic church of Our Lady, with its tall tower, and the Stadhuis, the town hall, on the north side. The town hall is a dignified building with a restrained facade, and it has served as the seat of civic government for several centuries. Its roots go back to the Middle Ages, when Breda received city rights in the thirteenth century and needed a place for its council to meet.

What visitors see today is the result of centuries of change. The town hall was damaged by fires in the late Middle Ages and rebuilt, and over time neighbouring houses were absorbed into the complex, so that it is a composite of several buildings behind a single frontage. The facade dates from the eighteenth century, when it was unified in a calm, classical style by the architect Philips Willem Schonck. It replaced earlier and more elaborate fronts, and the sober elegance of the result is typical of Dutch civic architecture of its time. The building was the centre of local government and justice until the end of the nineteenth century, when courts were moved elsewhere.

The interior is generally closed to the public, because the building is used for official functions, but it opens on special occasions. Open Monument Days, held in September in the Netherlands, offer a chance to see the council chamber and other historic rooms, with guided tours explaining the history. The building has a ramp for wheelchair users. At other times the facade can be admired from the square, and the details of the windows, the doorway and the roofline repay a closer look.

The square and the surrounding streets have many sights. The castle of Breda, now used by the Royal Military Academy, lies a short walk away, along with the Begijnhof, the old almshouse courtyard, and the park and harbour. Breda has been involved in major events, among them the Declaration of Breda in 1660 and the Peace of Breda in 1667, and it was liberated in October 1944 by Polish troops, a fact commemorated in the city.

The Stadhuis suits history and architecture lovers, and a look at it takes a few minutes, though the square invites a longer stay with a coffee. Breda is reached by direct train from Rotterdam, Utrecht and Antwerp.