Damme town hall

Damme Town Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis van Damme) is a Gothic building standing on the main square of a small town in West Flanders, a short distance from Bruges. Although Damme today is a quiet spot along a canal, in the Middle Ages it served as a major seaport supporting Bruges' trade — and the current town hall still reflects that former wealth.

Where does the current building come from?

The first town hall in Damme was raised as early as 1241, largely built of wood, at a time when the town flourished as a seaport before the Zwin channel began silting up toward the end of the thirteenth century. Over time the structure fell into disrepair, and in 1461 the town council decided to demolish it and put up a new stone building in its place. Construction ran from 1464 to roughly 1467–1468, meaning residents built their new town hall just as the town was already sliding into the economic decline brought on by the silting waterway that had once connected it to the sea.

What does it look like, and what's inside?

The building is an example of Brabantine Gothic style, marked by a tall, slender silhouette with turrets and pointed windows. The front facade carries six stone sculptures depicting figures tied to the history of the town and the wider region, including Margaret of York. The tower houses a carillon of 39 bells — two of them cast back in the fourteenth century — and just below it sits a working clock dating from 1459, older than the current building itself. Inside, the Vierschaere hall and the adjoining council chamber (Raadzaal) are worth a look for their richly carved ceiling beams from 1465.

What historical event is tied to this place?

It was in Damme, in 1468, that Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, married Margaret of York, sister of England's King Richard III. The wedding was one of the most significant political and social events of its era, linking the Burgundian court with the English House of York, and it is still recalled today as the high point of medieval Damme's prominence.

What's the town hall's connection to Till Eulenspiegel?

Damme is inseparably linked with the figure of Till Eulenspiegel (Tijl Uilenspiegel) — not the historical German trickster, but the hero of the 1867 novel The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel by Belgian writer Charles De Coster. De Coster chose Damme as the birthplace of his Tijl, son of Klaas, turning the small town into the symbolic cradle of a Flemish rebel who defies Spanish rule. Right next to the town hall, the historic Huyse de Grote Sterre building now houses a museum devoted to the character.

Can visitors go inside?

The building still serves administrative and ceremonial functions, and its interior — including the historic council chamber — is occasionally opened to visitors during town events and guided tours of Damme. The square in front of the town hall, lined with old houses and home to a statue of Jacob van Maerlant, remains the natural starting point for exploring the historic town centre.

Frequently asked questions

When was the current town hall building constructed? The present building was erected between 1464 and 1467/1468, replacing an earlier, partly wooden town hall dating from 1241.

What architectural style is Damme's town hall built in? It is an example of Brabantine Gothic, typical of civic buildings from that period in the Flanders and Brabant region.

What is housed in the tower? A carillon of 39 bells (two from the fourteenth century) and a clock from 1459, older than the building itself.

What historical event took place in Damme in 1468? The marriage of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, to Margaret of York, sister of England's King Richard III.

Why is Damme associated with Till Eulenspiegel? Because writer Charles De Coster set the birth of his fictional hero here in his 1867 novel, and a museum dedicated to the character now stands next to the town hall.