Westelijk Handelsterrein, Protected architectural complex in Scheepvaartkwartier, Netherlands
Westelijk Handelsterrein is a protected building complex in the Scheepvaartkwartier district that spans two levels and features a glass roof structure and red brick facades in neo-renaissance style. Inside, the interconnected spaces house galleries, restaurants, and office areas under a unified roofline.
The complex was built in 1894 to designs by architect Theo Kanters as a warehouse for goods from the nearby harbor. The ground level originally contained horse stables that supported cargo transport operations at the site.
The complex shows how Rotterdam has kept its connection to water while modernizing itself. Today the old warehouses host galleries, restaurants, and offices, showing how the city weaves its maritime past into daily life.
The complex sits on Van Vollenhovenstraat and is straightforward to reach, though its various uses operate on different schedules. It helps to check ahead which galleries or restaurants you want to visit since each space operates independently.
During World War II the building complex served as a distribution center for occupying German forces, which ensured its survival during Rotterdam's bombing in 1940. This fate was shared by few other structures in the city, making it an unintended witness to wartime history.
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