Stadhuis

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

In July 1934 the municipal council commissioned Cornelis Jonke Blaauw (1885-1947) to design the new TOWN HALL. The old town hall had burned down on 12 February 1929. It was decided to build the new town hall on the site of the old town hall behind the only facade that could be restored: the front facade on the Breestraat from 1597 by architect Lieven de Key (already a national monument; monument number 24647). In 1940 the building could be taken into use, in 1945 the council chamber and in 1948 the wedding hall. Blaauw designed a building in a Traditionalist style, with interior elements inspired by Pompeian examples. In the nineteen thirties Blaauw designed three town halls in a similar Traditionalist formal language: those of Alphen aan den Rijn, Hoogeveen and Leiden. The design in Leiden is the richest and most Traditionalist variant on the same theme. The interior of the town hall is intact, with the exception of some modernisations on the ground floor and first storey on the side of the Vismarkt. In the hall before the wedding hall a glazed draught vestibule has been added. The construction of the substructure was carried out by NV aannemingsmaatschappij v/h Hillen en Roosen and Betonbouw and the construction of the superstructure by NV Werninks Betonmaatschappij. The firm H. Korswagen Nzn was responsible for the finishing work. The following visual artists collaborated on the interior and exterior: Jan and Eloy Brom, Mrs C.C.J.M. Franzen-Heslenfeld, sculptor Verstoep, Mari Andriessen, bell founders Hemony, Hildo Krop, glazier Hofman, Lode Sengers and M.C. Escher. The sculptural work, stained glass and other visual arts have served both a decorative and a symbolic function in the exterior and interior. The town hall stands with two wings at the Stadhuisplein, located on the Nieuwe Rijn, within a protected townscape.

Description

The town hall consists of four wings around a square courtyard. The wing on the Breestraat projects out from the square, around the courtyard. At the Stadhuisplein this wing thus forms an angle with the wing at right angles to it. In the corner stands the tower under a tapering spire with a copper-covered bell-hipped roof. The town hall is partly cellared, the wings vary from two to five storeys under gabled roofs with slates in Maas bond. Some intermediate roof sections are flat-covered. The Breestraat lies higher than the Stadhuisplein, which causes a level difference of half a storey in the building. This means the first storey at the Stadhuisplein is level with the ground floor of the Breestraat. Stairs on the transition from the wing on the Breestraat to other wings bridge the difference of half a storey. Behind the facades of red brickwork with sandstone detailing and ornaments is the concrete structure. Articulation by means of granite plinths, sandstone drip mouldings, windows with water-drops and cornices. In the end facades and the facades at the Stadhuisplein sandstone cross windows with wooden frames and clear and coloured stained glass. In the facade on the Vischmarkt and on the courtyard twenty-paned windows in steel frames. Double and single wooden doors under sandstone arches and in right-angled sandstone frames. The end facades are spout gables or stepped gables with sandstone coping stones. Roof dormers with tympanums and large masonry chimneys decorated with sandstone in the roof planes. At the level of the first storey of both facades at the Stadhuisplein a gallery on masonry square columns with specklayers. The facade perpendicular to the Vischmarkt (south-east) is terminated on the left by the tower and on the right by a risalit containing the main entrance. The gallery is wedged between them. On the first storey nine-part sandstone cross windows with stained glass. Under the modest cornice small sculptured portraits of notables from Dutch history. In the tower an access door to the gallery. The risalit has a spout gable with gilded obelisks on the shoulders and a sandstone coat of arms of Leiden at the top. Two pilasters between three window axes. On the pilasters two figures, between them the double entrance door in a frame with sculptural work in sandstone by Hildo Krop. The sculptured man symbolises authority, the woman freedom. The bronze doors were designed by Blaauw and made by Jan and Eloy Brom. On the pilasters on either side of the entrance two lanterns in a bronze fitting. Further back lies the higher office section with an identical spout gable with a figure of a standing man and a coat of arms with a lion with sword. The gallery for the north-east facade of the wing on the Breestraat is accessible through a door in the tower and a monumental stair at the Trouwstraatje. On the masonry railings sandstone saddle-back mouldings and a large lantern with bronze fitting. On the wall along the Stadhuisplein, which is connected to the stair, stands on a column with specklayers an identically-shaped lantern, but this one five-armed. Facade at the top terminated by sandstone balustrade with obelisks. Under the balustrade sculptural work by Mrs Franzen-Heslenfeld depicting trades. The substructure of the fifty-three-metre-high tower has a square floor plan, the spire an octagonal one. The substructures and the first part of the spire are in masonry, the three top layers in sandstone. On the corner of the substructure a sculptural group by Mari Andriessen, just below the spire a round-arch frieze with sculptured corbels by Verstoep symbolising the seasons. The spire tapers in four stages. The gallery of the first stage, with balustrade, obelisks and copper figures, projects over. The design of the tower is strongly influenced by the tower of the burned-down town hall. Two layers with arches, one layer with the clock and one with sound-holes. In the tower a drum-operated mechanism from the early 20th century now out of use. On the spire pilasters, buttresses and gargoyles. The whole is crowned by a copper helmeted roof with a bud budding forth in leaves by the goldsmiths Eloy and Jan Brom. At the very top the weather vane from the burned-down town hall. Behind the spout gable on the Trouwstraatje (south-east) also a higher building section, this time with a stepped gable termination with specklayers. On the ground floor a gallery with the same square columns as under the gallery. Wickerwork and a sandstone coat of arms at the top. On the Breestraat three more window axes with cross windows. The facade on the Vischmarkt (north-east) is articulated by twenty-paned windows between sandstone ornamental blocks with water-drops. On the left in the high section a large composite window, behind which the main staircase. On the right an entrance under an arch and a bay window. The ground floor projects slightly forward and has small columns with specklayers between the windows. The fourth storey facade is set back. Between the windows masonry wall piers, underneath a sandstone drip moulding, above a sandstone eaves moulding with gargoyles. On the courtyard an identical fourth storey. In the roof plane on the courtyard seven large roof dormers with curved pediments. On the ridge a huge chimney with an iron cap on wrought metalwork scrolls. The red clinker bricks on the courtyard are laid in a diamond pattern with sandstone closing stones. Against the facades stand square masonry air vents of the cellar.

Interior

The representational spaces of the town hall are largely intact. These include, among others, the wedding hall, the council chamber, the room of the Mayor and Aldermen, the mayor's chamber and various aldermen's rooms and (parts of) the corridors, staircases and halls that remain original. The most important representational spaces are located on the main storey: the bel étage on the Breestraat, or second storey at the Stadhuisplein and the Vischmarkt. In both the circulation spaces and the offices and council chambers, the furnishings and furniture have been preserved that were designed for the town hall at the time. In the circulation spaces marble on walls and floors. On the second storey this is laid in livre ouvert. Further in the halls and corridors, among other things, white plastered coffered ceilings, double copper draught doors and window sills and radiator casings of marble and wood with copper grilles in niches. Stairs in marble, wooden handrails and bronze ironwork. Stained glass windows with coats of arms of Leiden Burgemasters in the main staircase on the Vischmarkt and opposite the council chamber. In the corridors of the office tower black and white tile floors, tile wainscotings, office doors in wooden frames. On the floors in the offices lie, among other things, parquet, the walls are provided with wooden wainscotings and wall coverings.

The wedding hall is a long rectangular room with side aisles, which are separated by columns. The columns, floor and walls are clad with three types of marble: Arabescato (white), black Port d'Or and Jaune de Sienne (yellow). The Arabescato on the floor is laid in livre ouvert. The columns and pilasters on the walls are fitted with convex and concave profiles, bases and capitals. Above the wedding room a white-stuccoed square net vault, above the banqueting hall a barrel vault, flat ceilings above the side aisles. In the hall before the wedding hall among other things a glazed barrel vault with wrought-iron tendrils by Hildo Krop. On the wall a compass rose with sandstone sculptured ornaments, which is connected to the weather vane on the roof and indicates the wind direction by means of lamps. In the room of the Mayor and Aldermen and the mayor's chamber are preserved, among other things, the parquet floors, panelled doors, wooden wainscotings, coffered ceilings and panels inlaid with wood (intarsia) by M.C. Escher. The council chamber is a rectangular space spanning two storeys under a depressed barrel vault with a coffered ceiling. At the short ends on the 'level' the public galleries. Wall coverings with tapestries in the wainscoting with pilasters, according to designs by artist De Moor. Further, among other things, leather-upholstered access doors, a parquet floor and stained glass in the fanlights above the access doors. In the corridor before the council chamber Paonazzo or peacock marble and two large mosaics after Pompeian models by Lode Sengers on the wall. The square coffee room next to the council chamber is entirely fitted with wood and also has leather-upholstered doors. Square columns clad with wood, a wooden coffered ceiling and a parquet floor.

Valuation

The town hall is of general importance for its cultural historical values as an expression of local administrative developments. The building is of general importance for its architectural historical value due to the Traditionalist design, the special Pompeian elements and the high quality of the ornaments, the visual arts associated with the building and the detailing, which qualifies the building as a Gesamtkunstwerk. Moreover, it is of architectural historical significance as a representative example of the town halls in the oeuvre of architect C.J. Blaauw. Thanks to its dominant location on the Stadhuisplein and the Breestraat, the town hall is also of great value from an urban planning perspective. Both the exterior and the interior of the town hall are particularly well preserved.