Dinghuis, Government building in Binnenstad, Maastricht, Netherlands
The Dinghuis is a government building in central Maastricht featuring a late Gothic facade of grey Namur stone with decorated windows displaying coats of arms from Brabant, Liege, and Maastricht. A clock mechanism is integrated into the facade, with its internal workings connected through the floors by a chain system.
Construction began in 1470 as a high court for the city, serving justice for nearly 200 years. In 1664 it transitioned to use as a prison with cells until 1825, when its role changed again.
The name reflects Maastricht's judicial past, and the structure still shows how medieval cities organized their authority. The double staircase at the entrance served as a symbolic statement of power for those seeking justice.
The building sits in the heart of the city center and is easy to reach on foot from any direction. Today it houses a visitor center offering local information and products to help orient yourself in Maastricht.
Two bronze lions once guarded the main entrance but vanished during the iconoclastic riots of 1566 and were never recovered. This missing sculpture remains one of the building's intriguing historical mysteries.
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