Amsterdamse Poort

The Amsterdam Gatehouse as it once was As it is today

This small gatehouse stands well east of the town centre on the old road to Amsterdam, its slender, Disney-esque towers an unexpected visual treat in a part of town otherwise dominated by the works depot of the national Dutch rail company.

It is the last remnant of Haarlem's mediaeval defensive ramparts, the other gatehouses having disappeared one by one over the centuries. Originally built in 1355, it has survived against all odds. By the mid-19th century, it was so dilapidated that only a lack of money prevented immediate demolition. Salvation came when it was decided to use it to store munitions from another city gate which had been pulled down. Minor repairs followed at the end of the 19th century but it was not fully renovated until 1985. It had already been declared a listed building in the 1960's.

The Amsterdamse Poort may look a bit of an anomaly nowadays but a reminder of how important it once was is given by a small sculpture nearby, depicting citizens of Haarlem looking up to it in awe and gratitude. Present-day visitors can walk under and through the gatehouse but the interior is not open to the public.