Friday, October 31, 2008
Amsterdam Painting
Another painting, I believe it was Amsterdam. Cornelis Vreedenburg from Woerden made a lot of painting of Amsterdam.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Winter Landscape
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Roman Roof Tiles
Back to the museum. As I have said the museum doesn't have that much to tell. Though I feel it could be made more interesting.
When doing excavations in the centre of Woerden, roof tiles were found. These tiles date from 120 AD containing a stamp of the 'Legion XXX Upla Viciria', this legion made tiles for settlements in Vleuten, Alphen, Leiden and others and come from Germany. Across the Northern Roman Frontier line the Romans created several settlements, almost all of them grew out to become the cities and towns we now nowadays.
That fascinates me from history; at a certain point in time somebody decides to do something, which from then on is repeated, enhanced simply because it is always done like that, there. For example on a spot of a hotel, church, inn, hospital, or road tax spot, this activity could have been there for hundreds or even thousands of years simply for that reason...
My brother likes local history a lot and tells me of it; suddenly I see that the contribution of the Romans in our country side is still very present.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Lots of people
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Cow Market
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Pub the Prince of Orange
Monday, October 20, 2008
Painting of Amsterdam Canal
Saturday, October 18, 2008
In the 1500's
After the Romans left in around 400, the history of Woerden stops. The local people moved in the Castellum but for about a thousend years the city disapears from the stages of history until it is mentioned again around 1400. By the 1500's it has become quit a prosporous town.
I live at the spot exactly between the mill and the castle you see. The (old) city outline as is shown at the manquette is still present today.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Let's go in
You have seen enough from the inside of the building now. Let's enter the Old City hall.
The building is used for weddings (small weddings though) and it is a museum. It is not a very impressive museum, for various reasons there are not so many artefacts of history.
Woerden was founded by the Romans as a Castellum at the Northern frontier of the Roman Empire. They build a fortress with some houses of which one of stones. Now a days brass lines in the centre indicate where the Roman Castellum walls used to be. The site of that Castellum is the present day centre of the city.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Entrance
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Left Side of the City Hall
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
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.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The head of St John the Baptist
The city museum of Woerden, located in the old cityhall (there are three, the new, the former and the former former cityhall, I am talking about the last, which is the first cityhall build somewhere in 1500) is a sculpture of the head of St John the Baptist displayed, which holds quite a history. I will tell all about it.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Jewish Monument/ Memorial
Opposite my house is a ceramic 'statue' of a lonely man with his dog. I noticed it is a bit sad work of art. I took the time to investigate what it stands for. It appeared to be a Jewish memorial. It has a sad story, read more about it at my own blog.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Open Bridge
A few weeks ago on a sunny day I took a long bycicle ride. When I headed for home I had to wait for the opened bride. I love the house you see on the right. So I decided to take a picture, then, I noticed the funny smell over there. A sweet incense like smell... It appeared that I stood in front of the local softdrug store. Never new it was there since I don't smoke grass, it appeared to be the local supplier.. The yellow bar you see is part of the softdrug store.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Greyhound Mill 1755
The Greyhound Mill from 1755 dominates together with the church towers the skyline of Woerden. The Greyhound is the successor of a mill which stood on the same spot which was first mentioned in 1550. There used to be a second mill in Woerden but this one has been demolished in 1707. I live 1 min walking from the mill. In older days the miller and his familiy lived in the lower part of the mill.
A Dutch expression related to mills is: 'He must have had a blow of the mill wing', meaning he has lost his mind or has become crazy. A blow of a mill wing can't be a good thing...
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Queen Wilhelmina Road
I live on the Wilhelmina road. Wilhelmina was queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. I tried to google how many Wilhelmina roads we have in Holland, must be a lot, almost every village, town and city has roads named after members of the royal family.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Dark Sky
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