No notice

Peeping through a medieval window in the old-old cityhall.

Backside of Old Cityhall

This is the backside of the old cityhall. I have learned that it just escaped the demolition hammer. At a certain point in time middle aged buildings were seen as unattractive landmarks. The city council hold a secret meeting where they voted it should be removed. However some history loving count or earl was tipped, he just arrived in time to prevent the decission... (this was arround the 1920's).

Roman Border Post

I needed to know and yes, I knew I have seen it. A group has placed all along the former Roman Empire border singposts, saying this was the outer Northern border of the Roman Empire. We have one in Woerden aswel. I happen to pass it by when I drive to bring a visit to my mother.

Austrian Emblem?

Another emblem which has been on the entry gate of Woerden. This is an Austrian emblem? I think so, we have been part of the Austrian Empire onces, but that is so long ago. I have tried to find some more info on the web on the entry gate. I couldn't find anything on it on the web. I should ask at the museum.

Entry Gate Emblems

In the museum are a few big stone tables with the emblems, one of them is of the emblem of Woerden. After enquiry it appeared they belonged to the old entry gates. The walls around the city has been removed a long time ago but the entry gate remained longer. At a moment it was decided to demolish it. One building contractor was willing to do it for quite a low price. Later on it appeared this man made a fortune with demolishing builings of the middele ages because he know they contained a lot of lead (which was a valuable metal at that time).

The diamonds in the embleem is a figure which comes back in heraldic signs in this area.

Roman Altar

Among the finding of the Roman eara is an altar stone to the Syrian sun-god Elagabal from the mid-second century. It was found in the remains of a monumental building in the village near the fort discovered in May 2003.
It was erected by a soldier who may have been born somewhere along the Danube, but who may as well have been a native from the Low Countries.

It says:

For the good health of the emperor caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus
Antoninus Augustus Pius,
to the invincible sun Elagabal and Minerva
has Lucius Terentius
Bassus, standard bearer of the third
unit of Breuci [erected this altar].

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.

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.