Old town hall Wetteren

This beautiful neoclassical building dates from the 19th century and is a protected heritage site.

Although the administration has moved to the Red Hill, this building is still often used for ceremonial occasions such as weddings and official receptions.

Before this building stood there, the town hall was located in a building called "Het Schepenhuis" . This building was much smaller and actually "got in the way" of the traffic flow around the church. The construction of the current town hall gave the Market Square of Wetteren its open, rectangular shape. The construction of this town hall took place under the mayorship of Charles-Hippolyte Vilain XIIII . He was the driving force behind the modernization of Wetteren.

A striking clock adorns the facade. In the 19th century, this was the only place for many Wetteren residents to see the exact time (because pocket watches were too expensive). The mechanism was a technical marvel at the time and had to be wound manually daily by a designated municipal official.

Wetteren is a true giant city (think giants like Goliath , Mars , and Vibeke ). During the annual fair or special parades, the balcony of the old town hall is where dignitaries watch the giants. The town hall is often the starting or ending point of these centuries-old traditions.

The facade is adorned with the municipal coat of arms of Wetteren : the Ghent Altarpiece . This is a reference to the patron saint of wool weavers and the historical connection with the cloth industry that made Wetteren wealthy.

Willem Vandenameele