Stadhuis van Bergen op Zoom, Medieval town hall at Grote Markt, Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands
The Stadhuis van Bergen op Zoom comprises three connected medieval buildings: Den Oliphant, Het Schepenhuijs, and Den Leeuwenborch, featuring a natural stone facade and red-white shutters. The architectural complexity reveals the different building phases the structure underwent over several centuries.
Het Schepenhuijs, the central building, originated in 1403, while Leeuwenborch was reconstructed after a fire in 1444. Den Oliphant was added to the complex in 1544, completing the structure as it stands today.
The facade displays statues representing virtues, including Justitia holding sword and scales, Prudentia symbolizing wisdom, and Saint Gertrude. These figures reflect the values the city sought to uphold as it developed.
Guided tours are available during winter season from October to April, typically on shopping Sundays. Groups of six to fifteen people should arrange visits in advance to ensure access to the building.
The facade bears the Latin inscription 'Mille Periculis Supersum', meaning 'I overcome a thousand dangers', reflecting the city's resilience. These words tell of the challenges Bergen op Zoom endured during its turbulent past.
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