Page 191 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

HAARLEM  189

The city defences were severe ly E Museum Haarlem
tested in 1573, when the Groot Heiligland 47. Tel 023-5422427.
Spanish, led by Frederick of Open daily. Closed 1 Jan, Easter,
Toledo, besieged Haarlem for 27 Apr, Whitsun, 25 Dec. & 7
seven months during the Dutch ∑ museumhaarlem.nl
Revolt. The city fathers agreed Located in one of Haarlem’s
to surrender the town on terms prettiest streets, Museum Haarlem
that included a general amnesty features an interesting display of
for all its citizens. The Spanish artifacts that focuses on the his-
appeared to accept the terms, tory of the city and its environs.
but once the city gates were The museum is housed in the
opened, they marched in and St Elisabeth’s Gasthuis, a hospital
treacherously slaughtered founded in 1597. After extensive
nearly 2,000 people – almost restoration, this almshouse was
the entire population of the city. opened as Haarlem’s principal
historical museum. The present
E Teylers Museum building dates back to 1610. A
Spaarne 16. Tel 023-5160960. Open stone plaque carved above what
10am–5pm Tue–Sat, noon–5pm Sun used to be the main doorway in
& holidays. Closed 1 Jan, 5 & 25 Dec. 1612 depicts an invalid being
& 7 - = ∑ teylersmuseum.nl carried off to hospital. Changing
The west gate of the Amsterdamse This was the first major public exhibitions connect the past with
Poort (1355) museum to be founded in the the present, making it a perfect
Netherlands. It was established starting point for exploring the city.
art. It was built in 1602 by the city in 1778 by the silk merchant Walking tours are also available.
surveyor, Lieven de Key, and has a Pieter Teyler van der Hulst to
steep step gable which disguises encou rage the study of science £ Haarlem Station
the roof line. The extravagantly and art. The mus eum’s Stationsplein.
over-decorated miniature gables eccentric collection of fos sils, The first railway line in the
above each dormer window drawings and scientific Nethe rlands opened in 1839
bristle with pinnacles. A giant paraphernalia is display ed in and ran between Haarlem
painted ox’s head on the façade Neo-Classical and Amsterdam.
signifies an earlier function of splendour The original station,
the building. in a series of built in 1842, was Please fix text
18th-century refurbished in Art
P Amsterdamse Poort rooms. The Nouveau style wrap. Text over-
Amsterdamsevaart. Closed to public. two-storey between 1905 and lapping with
The imposing medieval Oval Hall was 1908. It is a grandiose
gateway that once helped added in 1779 brick building with cutout image.
protect Haarlem lies close to and contains Tiles depicting various modes an arched façade
the west bank of the river bizarre glass of transport, Haarlem Station and rectangular
Spaarne. The Amsterd amse cabinets full of towers. The interior
Poort was one of a complex of 12 minerals and cases of is decorated with brightly
gates guarding strategic trans- intimidating medical coloured tiles depicting various
port routes in and out of Haarl- instruments. A significant modes of transport. Other
em. The gate was built in 1355, collection of sketches by Dutch highlights are the woodwork of
though much of the elaborate and Italian masters, including the ticket offices and the highly
brickwork and tiled gables date Rembrandt and Michelangelo, decorative wrought ironwork,
from the late 15th century. is shown a few at a time. particularly on the staircases.

Gabled houses from the 17th and 18th centuries along the river Spaarne in Haarlem

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