Rijksmunt

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

MINT BUILDING ("Rijksmunt"), built between 1903 and 1911, in Neoclassical style to the design of royal surveyor (for National Buildings First District) C.H. Peters (1847-1932). The building is located at the intersection of Merwedekanaal and Leidscherijn. The building, consisting of several building masses, contains a courtyard within a predominantly rectangular floor plan. The building is surrounded on three sides by streets and is located at the corner where Merwedekanaal and Leidsche Rijn meet. The building is separated from the street by an iron fence on a low masonry wall. The garden along Leidseweg and Muntkade and the accompanying iron fence form part of the design. Parallel to the rear facade (Steijnstraat) lie, bordering an enclosed rear area, the ancillary buildings excluded from protection.

Description

The main building is situated with its front facade on Leidseweg and Muntkade, respectively parallel to Leidsche Rijn and Merwedekanaal, and is marked there by a small corner tower. To the left adjoins the former director's residence, differing in building mass and positioning from the main building. On the right side of the building (Muntkade) there is also a lower annex (service dwelling).

The main building, as well as the director's residence, is constructed in brick, sandstone and ashlar, executed in two storeys above a basement. Both building masses are covered by a series of hipped roofs laid with tiles, provided with various tall chimneys with caps. The front wing on Leidseweg contains offices, library and public spaces. The thirteen-bay wide front facade is articulated in colossal order by sandstone pilasters across both storeys, with a central risalit of three bays under a triangular pediment with the inscription "s RIJKS MUNT" in the frieze. Single and paired cross windows with ashlar mullions, lintels and sills for both storeys. Three natural stone entrance features under round arch with three lights, richly executed in Renaissance motifs. Sandstone toothed cordon line between the storeys, cornice partly in sandstone, partly in facing brick under a profiled roof line supported by corbels. On the front slope two large roof dormer windows with scroll-shaped side pieces under triangular pediments and four more modest in size. The front facade of the former director's residence consists of two storeys under a hipped roof with truncated angles, design similar to that of the main building. The right facade on Muntkade closes with a round, slightly projecting facade panel connective with a corner tower adjoining this front facade. In the extra storey of the tower the pilasters take the form of volutes, the dome-shaped roof is crowned by a ball and a wrought-iron weathervane. The right facade contains five bays of two storeys with a central risalit, wherein a double entrance with sandstone Renaissance framing. Here too roof dormers with volute-shaped sides and triangular pediments. The service dwelling as an annex consists of one storey, has a sober facade with pilasters, capitals and friezes in facing brick and cordon lines, lintels and sills in ashlar. Here too roof dormers with volute-shaped sides and triangular pediments. The workshops on the courtyard of the main building have shed roofs. Interior with original, richly executed finishing, including on the street side the library with original stacked bookshelves and mirror in a pilaster setting under a cornice with balustrade. Above this paintings concerning the minting trade and a richly decorated ceiling. The master of the mint's room in the corner tower has a painted wooden ceiling and a chimney-piece with paintings concerning the minting process.

Valuation

MINT BUILDING "Rijksmunt", of general importance because of its cultural-historical value owing to its purpose which is connected with the history of the minting system. Because of its architectural-historical value as a good and well-preserved example of a mint building erected in Neoclassical style and also of importance because of the oeuvre of royal surveyor C.H. Peters. Also because of its urban planning value because of its prominent location at the intersection of waterways and the lock complex. The accompanying garden and the iron fence on a low wall along Leidseweg and Muntkade are of general importance because of the ensemble and situational value as components of the design and because of the visual and functional distance to the public road.