There is a building in the middle of the market square, Nieuwmarkt, in Amsterdam.  Easily spotted despite the market stands sometimes surrounding it; the brick building, featuring several towers is Amsterdam’s oldest surviving medieval gatehouse. Known by many as St. Antoniespoort, this building is called Waag.

Waag was built in 1488, with the intention of being one of the three main city gates.  It served its purpose until 1601 when the city walls were torn down in order to expand the city.  In 1617, the building became a public weigh house.  Products and goods were brought to the weigh house by peasants in order to be weighed and taxed.

The upper floors of the gatehouse were used for other purposes.  The rooms here were designated for members of particular guilds including blacksmiths, artists and masons.  The doors that led to these rooms were adorned with a symbol of that particular guild.  From 1619, the Guild of Surgeons had their meeting room and anatomy theatre in the building.  Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp and The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Jan Deijman were commissioned and hung here during that time.  At the beginning of the 19th century, when most of the guilds were disbanded, the building became for the most part empty.

During the early 19th century, by order of Napoleon, public executions were performed here.  As the crowds cheered outside, condemned prisoners waited inside in the “little gallows room.”

Following this dark period in the buildings history, many different groups occupied the building, including a furnishings factory, a fire station and two city museums. For six years, it served as the Amsterdam Historical Museum, Nieuwmarkt Square and for many additional years, it was home to the Jewish Historical Museum.

For the most part, the building is now closed to the general public, however since 1996 the old gatehouse has been the home of the Restaurant-Café , In de Waag.  Open for lunch, dinner and special functions – highlights include the 300 candles and high-hanging candelabras, which create a castle-like atmosphere.

Waag can make for an excellent location to grab a bite to eat (or at one of the surrounding cafés) but it is also an excellent building for orientating yourself if you are in the area because of its distinctive appearance.

Have you eaten at In de Waag or snapped a picture of the building itself?  Why not share your images with the Facebook group?