City Hall

The old city hall of Woerden dates from 1501. It’s first task was a place where law was ‘spoken’. Besides the entrance is the ‘schandpaal’ (pillary or cocking-stool), the situation was more dramatic when you were hanged: in that case a gallow was created from the roof.
In 1610 it’s task changed when Woerden received the right to create a group of 24 members to form a type of city council. These people needed to be skilled, peaceful, rich and of Protestant religion. The city hall became to small and was extended with a first floor in Dutch Renaissance style. From that time dates the statue of Lady Justice. Until 1889 the building was used for meetings of the council. When the new city hall was build the old cityhall became again a place for speaking law until 1933 when it was turned into a museum and wedding hall.