Het Wakend Oog, Maritime watch house in West-Terschelling, Netherlands
Het Wakend Oog is a watch house in West-Terschelling made from brown bricks with yellow bands and covered with black Dutch roof tiles. The front facade has six-paned windows and displays maritime symbols that reflect its connection to seafaring traditions.
The building was constructed in 1882 by Pierre Eschauzier and replaced an earlier wooden structure made from salvaged wreck materials. This construction reflects how shipwrecks and their resources shaped the development of the settlement.
The facade displays maritime symbols and Freemason elements that reflect the influence of the sea on local life. These decorations show how closely fishing and navigation shaped the community's values and identity.
The building sits at Torenstraat 2 near the harbor and is easy to reach on foot. Today it operates as a cafe where visitors can step inside and explore the history of the location.
A commemorative plaque inside honors Willem Barendtsz, a polar explorer connected to the island's maritime heritage. A second plaque remembers G.J. Eschauzier, the founding mayor whose family later built the house.
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