Sneek town hall - Sneek

Sneek's first Town Hall, on this spot, was built around 1478, the time of Grutte Pier. It was built on the foundations of two medieval stinsen (defensible residential towers).

Over the centuries, the building was regularly rebuilt and extended. The baroque-style landing dates from 1745 and was made by Sneek sculptor Gerben Jelles Nauta. It got its current rococo-style façade in 1763. All the ornaments on both the façade and the steps have a symbolic meaning. For example, the bundle of arrows at the top of the central window refers to the Republic of the United Netherlands.

Historical attributes are displayed in the Town Hall's Marksmen's Room. Here, for instance, lies the helmet attributed to Pier Gerlofs Donia. How seriously can we take this attribution? Not too seriously... Further research shows that the helmet dates from the period 1630-1640, more than a century after Grutte Pier's death.

The building has not been used as a town hall for many years and, since 1968, has had national monument status. Unfortunately, the building is not usually open to visitors and Grutte Pier's helmet can only be admired in the town hall on Open Monument Day.