Amsterdam Painting

Another painting, I believe it was Amsterdam. Cornelis Vreedenburg from Woerden made a lot of painting of Amsterdam.

Winter Landscape

There are a few interesting paintings in the museum. I like this one, a winter landscape. The weather has been so cold yesterday that it gives hope for a real winter.. That would be great, the last winter I experienced was when I lived temporary in Sweden.

Tyle Baker Houses

The museum contains a painting of the houses in Woerden owned by tyle bakers.

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.

Lots of people

There were a lot of people on the market. Unfortunately the market passed me by and I had no chance to go on the street and make lot's of photo's. However a friend Marc phoned me to have a beer on the New Church Square, that was fun.

Cow Market

A break from the museum, today it is Cow Market in Woerden, the anual festival. Not that I noticed much of it. I am at home today but I have to a lot of work for my job and school, I quickly made a stroll in the centre, it was really busy.


And Lama's too

Pub the Prince of Orange

This shoulder blade of a wale has been a sign of a pub called the Prince of Orange near Woerden in the 1500's.

Painting of Amsterdam Canal

The museum contains a set of paintings, not really about Woerden but made by artists from Woerden. This painting is a scene in Amsterdam, with sight on a canal with in the background the Luthren Church, this is located quite close to the Central Station. Painted by Cornelis Vreedenburgh 1880-1946.

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.

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.

The Entrance

The entrance of the old city hall contains a few small sculptures. I don't think that they are the origionals because they look too new.

Left Side of the City Hall

This picture is taken at the left side of the city hall. This is a small dead end lane located between the St Peter Church and the city hall. This lane leads to the previous cemetery. Usually this road is closed but this day the gate happened to be open.

Detail of Window

A detail of a Cityhall's window.

On the previous picture you can't see it but the cityhall contains a small tower. When I visited the museum, it appeared that the stair case is located in the tower.

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.

The Mill from another Angle

The Mill from another angle....

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.

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.

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.

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...

Competing Horses

A while ago at a sunny day I passed by a field where two horses were challenging each other...

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.

Dark Sky

When driving back from work yesterday there was a very dark sky above Woerden, whilst the sky behind me was sunny. I realized that I had my camera with me and made a shot. However I did miss my exit and had to drive several miles more to get home.