At the current site of the City Hall, the city has been governed for centuries. The first city hall was built on this spot in the 13th century when Breda was granted city rights. Throughout time the building has been regularly adapted, rebuilt and rebuilt. During city fires in 1490 and 1534 almost all of the inner city and also the old city hall on this site were destroyed. Rebuilding took place shortly after 1534. Little is known of the oldest council houses at this site.
The current city hall is an amalgamation of four separate buildings. Originally, the town hall consisted of three houses, the old town hall and two houses, the Cleijne Raedthuis and Huize Vogelsanck. The fourth building (Liggend Hert) was only added much later (around 1680). In the town hall it can still be clearly seen that this was a separate house with a separate front door.
At the end of the Eighty Years’ War, the town hall was closed.
At the end of the Eighty Years’ War, Brabant and Breda had become a province of Holland . For this reason it took until the 18th century for Breda to get a new and sober city hall with a new facade designed by Philips Willem Schonck which makes the building appear to be one whole from the outside.
At least until the 18th century, Breda got a new and sober city hall with a new facade designed by Philips Willem Schonck which makes the building appear to be one whole.
This is the reason why the city hall was built in the 18th century.
Until the French era, justice was also administered in the city hall. At the end of the 19th century the law moved to the Breda Courthouse on Kloosterlaan.
At the end of the 19th century the law moved to the Breda Courthouse on Kloosterlaan.
All functions – from the past and now – are still visible at and in the City Hall (e.g. the Justice statue (blindfolded with scales and sword) above the entrance to the City Hall points to the function of court).
Historical tour (20 min.) by volunteers and students from De Rooi Pannen.
Learn more about the history and the beautiful paintings in City Hall.
Start: gather in the hall, a new tour every half hour (max. 15 pers.)
.
Corn tour
On Sundays, enjoy a performance from the choral route (20 min) in the Grote Trouwzaal.