Old Town Hall - Peer

Perhaps the most famous Peerse cityscape : the 'Old Town Hall'.

The oldest preserved town hall in Belgian Limburg. The building was built in 1637 under the reign of Albert van Gavere in typical Maasland Renaissance style , a typical architectural style for the Prince-Bishopric of Liège from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Over the centuries, the building has had various functions . During the ancien régime, the ground floor, then windowless, served as a cloth hall and a covered market . The upper floor was reserved for the city government . The attic was rented out and mainly served to dry hops and malt. Prisoners were locked up in the cellars.

In the following centuries, the building was still used as a justice of the peace , a museum of musical instruments and a tourist office. The municipal services also found their home there for a while.

A restaurant is currently located in the building. The restaurant is connected to the nearby hotel via an underground corridor.

In 1798, a number of peasant warriors destroyed part of the town hall. Provincial master builder Herman Jaminé drew up a restoration plan in 1861, but it was not implemented. Instead, minor repairs were undertaken. A first thorough restoration took place in the period 1898-1902. The building was then decorated with four coats of arms and three commemorative plaques with dates. In 1959, embellishment works again took place in the town hall. The roof was replaced in 1972, while the building regained its characteristic red and yellow color in 1993 after a thorough restoration.

The first mention of a pillory in front of the town hall dates from 1721. Criminals were publicly tried and punished at this place. In 1996 a replica was inaugurated at the same place.

Willem Vandenameele