Spanish Government

The Spanish Government is a historic building at the Vrijthof in Maastricht. It is probably the oldest preserved residence in Maastricht. After a number of extensive restorations, the building has had a museum purpose since 1973, and since 2020 it has been called the Photography Museum at the Vrijthof. The property now known as the Spanish Government was located within the immunity of the chapter of Saint Servatius and was initially a canon's residence, the Prima Porta. The house was the first property that was part of the immunity area of the Saint Servatius Church, hence the name Prima Porta. The first mention of the house dates back to 1333, when a canon of the Saint Servatius Church transferred the house to Duke John III of Brabant. In 1397, Duchess Joanna of Brabant returned the house to the chapter, retaining the right to stay there during her visits to Maastricht. In 1506, Charles of Ghent, the later Emperor Charles V, inherited the title Duke of Brabant, and he later also became King of Spain. As a result, in addition to the names Hof van Brabant or Brabants Gouvernement, the name Spanish Government gradually came into use for the Maastricht pied-à-terre of the Brabant dukes.

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