Cloth Hall, Ypres

Cloth Hall, Ypres
The Cloth Hall, Ypres

The Cloth Hall (Dutch: Lakenhal or Lakenhalle), of Ypres, Belgium, was one of the largest commercial buildings of the Middle Ages, when it served as the main market and warehouse for the Flemish city's prosperous cloth industry. The original structure, erected mainly in the 13th century and completed 1304, lay in ruins after artillery fire devastated Ypres in World War I. Between 1933 and 1967, the hall was meticulously reconstructed to its prewar condition, under the guidance of architects J. Coomans and P.A. Pauwels. At 125 metres in breadth, with a 70-metre-high belfry tower, the Cloth Hall recalls the importance and wealth of the medieval trade city.

The Cloth Hall during World War I

In a row spanning the front of the edifice are tall pointed arches that alternately enclose windows and blind niches. Before the Great War, the niches framed life-size statues of historical personages, counts and countesses of Flanders. The niches on the side wings are now mostly vacant, but those in the centre contain statues of Count Baldwin IX of Flanders and Mary of Champagne, legendary founders of the building; and King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth, under whose reign the reconstruction began. Situated between these two couples, directly above the central archway entrance or Donkerpoort, is a statue of Our Lady of Thuyne, the patron of Ypres.

The belfry, capped with four turrets and a spire, houses a carillon with 49 bells. From a pole atop the spire a gilded dragon overlooks the city. The tower offers an expansive view of the surroundings, and was used as a watchtower in centuries past. It has also accommodated the town archives, a treasury, an armory and a prison. In less enlightened times, cats, then associated in some way with black magic, were thrown off the belfry for reasons that are not clearly understood. Today, a jester commemorates this act by tossing stuffed toy felines from the tower during the triennial Cat Festival.

The Cloth Hall used to be accessible by boat via the Ieperlee waterway, which is now covered. The spacious ground-floor halls where wool and cloth were once sold are now used for exhibitions; the second floor, formerly a warehouse, now hosts the In Flanders Fields Museum, dedicated to the history of World War I.

Against the east face of the edifice stands the elegant Nieuwerck, whose Renaissance style contrasts markedly with the Gothic of the main building. Originally built between 1619 and 1622, and reconstructed after the war, this annex now serves as a town hall.

See also

External links

Coordinates: 50°51′04″N 2°53′09″E / 50.8512°N 2.8858°E / 50.8512; 2.8858


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cloth Hall — may refer to:*Cloth Hall in Ypres, Belgium *Sukiennice (Cloth Hall), in Kraków, Poland …   Wikipedia

  • Cloth hall — Sukiennice in Kraków Gewandhaus in …   Wikipedia

  • Ypres — Infobox Belgium Municipality name=Ypres Ieper nl picture= picture map West Flanders arms=Wapenschild ieper.jpg region=BE REG FLE community=BE NL province=BE PROV WV arrondissement=Ypres nis=33011 pyramid date=January 1, 2006 0 19=22.52 20… …   Wikipedia

  • Ypres — Fr. /ee prddeu/; Brit. or facetious /wuy peuhrz/, n. a town in W Belgium: battles 1914 18. 34,758. Flemish, Ieper. * * * ▪ Belgium (French), Flemish  Ieper   municipality, West Flanders province (province), western Be …   Universalium

  • Sukiennice — The Renaissance Sukiennice (Cloth Hall, Drapers Hall) in Kraków, Poland, one of the city s most recognizable icons, was once a major centre of international trade. Traveling merchants met there to discuss business and to barter. During its golden …   Wikipedia

  • Wikiproyecto:Patrimonio de la Humanidad — Patrimonio de la Humanidad …   Wikipedia Español

  • Wipers Times — The Wipers Times is the most well known of the trench magazines that were published by soldiers fighting on the front lines of the First World War.It was produced by English soldiers from the 12th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham… …   Wikipedia

  • Gothic Architecture — • History of the style Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Gothic Architecture     Gothic Architecture     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • In Flanders Fields Museum — The In Flanders Fields museum is devoted to study of World War I and occupies the second floor of the Cloth Hall, Ypres in Belgium. The building was virtually destroyed by artillery fire during the Battles of Ypres and has been reconstructed. The …   Wikipedia

  • William Henry Lynn — (1829–1915) was an Irish born architect with a practice in Belfast and the north of England who is remembered for his Ruskinian Venetian Gothic public buildings, which include the Chester Town Hall (completed 1869).In 1846 Lynn was articled to… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”