Town hall and municipal museum Weesp

This is Weesp Town Hall. It looks like a miniature version of the palace on Dam Square, this town hall of Weesp. It is a status symbol par excellence, built with the large amount of money earned in the beer and gin industry. Architect Jacob Otten Husly built the town hall in classicist style between 1772 and 1776. You may know him as the architect of Felix Meritis on the Keizersgracht in Amsterdam. He built the town hall of sandstone, a very precious type of stone, because it had to be imported. In the triangular tympanum at the top, two lions carry weesp's coat of arms.
If possible, walk in for a look at the 'Vierschaar'. Behind the fence, the rear admiral and aldermen convicted criminals. The blindfolded 17th-century Lady Justice symbolizes a just sentence.

On the second floor of the town hall you will find the Gemeentemuseum Weesp.

Museum Weesp originally started in 1911 as an Antiquities Room. On December 28, 1911, the usher of the town hall, J. Mooy, received a stipend for the maintenance of a room that had been converted into an Antiquities Room. Here objects related to the history of Weesp were shown, such as the city silver, paintings and engravings. Initially, one could only see the room by appointment.

In 1928, a purchase for the collection was made for the first time: a terrine with lemons on the lid. Gradually, the Antiquities Room has grown into a museum through various donations and purchases. In January 1974, the city council of Weesp established the Museum Commission ordinance with the aim of being able to manage the collection on behalf of the council. The occasion was an extensive donation of Weesper porcelain from the possession of Baron F. van Heeckeren van Waliën, descendant of porcelain manufacturer Graaf Van Gronsveld. This donation was in fact the beginning of Museum Weesp.

The Gemeentemuseum now has a beautiful collection of 18th-century Weesper porcelain, archaeological finds and a large collection with advertising posters, chocolate cans and other objects from the famous Van Houten cocoa factory. Museum Weesp tells the story of Weesp and the catalogue Grensverlegger Van Houten is above all a story of Weesp. About how a small town can be big. The name Van Houten will forever be associated with Weesp. The exhibition Van Houten Grensverlegger keeps the history of the company alive, by showing in words and images how important the factory was for Weesp. Not only for the economy, but also for public space and social life. All this in a historic setting of creaky parquet floors and crystal chandeliers.

You can also get started yourself: turn on the cocoa machine and see how a cocoa bean is made into chocolate. Take the stairs to the museum, because then on the first floor you will pass the beautiful civic hall with an imposing marble floor and rich stucco decorations, made by the architect Otten Husly himself.

routeburo