Koudenhorn Kazerne, Rijksmonument op Koudenhorn 2
The Koudenhorn Kazerne is a barracks in Haarlem built as a military installation in 1810, with four wings arranged around a central courtyard. The building has thick brick walls, large windows, and a solid design that clearly reflects its original purpose as a garrison.
The building was originally designed in 1768 as a poorhouse and converted to barracks in 1810, where it housed soldiers for decades. After World War II it briefly served as a detention facility before becoming Haarlem's police headquarters in 1971.
The Koudenhorn Kazerne shows the architectural features of a 19th-century military complex, with its solid stone walls and central courtyard that organized daily life. The building's name and layout reflect how central this site was to Haarlem's military past and its later role in public service.
The building is centrally located in Haarlem and easily walkable from the old town, where it can be viewed from outside. Since it now serves as a police headquarters, interior access is restricted, but you can appreciate the impressive exterior architecture and facade from nearby.
The building began its life in 1768 not as barracks but as a poorhouse and refuge for the needy before taking on its military purpose in 1810. This dual history shows how a single building embodies completely different chapters of the city's past.
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