Van der Pigge

A building of the former Vroom & Dreesmann department store which opened in 1887 and went bankrupt in 2015.

After fires destroyed the Count's castle on this location in the 14th century, this city hall was built. The current façade is slightly younger, and originates from the 17th century.

Across the street from the Frans Hals Museum, this small museum offers a glimpse of old Haarlem. During the city's Golden Age four centuries ago, Haarlem was a thriving commercial centre rivalling Amsterdam. Back then, the town was a port on the large Haarlemmer Lake, with the North Sea only about five miles away (threatened by floods, residents eventually diverted the lake into canals to preserve shipping business and then pumped the remaining land dry). As well as being the tulip capital, Haarlem was a manufacturing centre producing wool, silk, lace, damask cloth, furniture, smoking pipes (along with cheap, locally-grown tobacco), and massive quantities of beer. Haarlemmers were notorious consumers of beer. It was a popular breakfast drink, and the average person drank six pints a day.

From 1604 until the 18th century, the Meat Hall was the only place in town where it was permitted to sell fresh meat. Butchers had to pay rather steep amounts to be granted a spot in the Dutch Renaissance style building that had been designed and built for the purpose. It's now part of the Frans Hals Museum.