St. Barbara Gasthuis

St. Barbara Gasthuis is a surviving gateway on Jansstraat in Haarlem, decorated with natural stone carvings and a sculptured keystone at the top. This entrance from 1624 marks where a women's hospital once stood and served the community for hundreds of years.

A man named Hugo van Assendelft left money to build this hospital for women in 1435, and it helped people for over 400 years. The building was demolished in 1845, but this gateway remained standing as the only trace of what once was.

The stone relief above the entrance shows this was once a women's hospital and reflects how Dutch communities cared for those in need. The carved details tell a story about the building's purpose in serving the city.

The gateway is easy to spot on Jansstraat in the heart of central Haarlem's historic area. Walking here gives you a good chance to see other old buildings nearby and notice the craftsmanship of the stone carvings up close.

The architect Lieven de Key left hidden numbers carved into the stone that spell out the founding year when added together, a clever puzzle built into the design. This kind of hidden message in stonework was rare and shows the artistic thinking of craftspeople at that time.

Location: Haarlem

Creator: Lieven de Key

Address: Jansstraat 54

GPS coordinates: 52.38217,4.63780

Latest update: December 14, 2025 20:03