Gemeenlandshuis van Rijnland
Encyclopedia
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The Gemeenlandshuis van Rijnland on the Breestraat in Leiden is the oldest Gemeenlandshuis
of the Netherlands that kept its function until the current century. Currently, it is still in use by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland
, but only for meetings and special occasions. Their day-to-day seat of water management is housed today on the Archimedesweg in Leiden.
The first steps towards a formal method of dike management in Leiden were taken according to Ortelius in Brittenburg
, making Leiden the oldest place in the Netherlands to conduct water management
. The current building was built to house the Hoogheemraadschap that gets its beginnings from the 12th century when the Oude Rijn
river silted shut at Katwijk
. In the centuries afterwards, a group of officials called heemraden oversaw the dikes along the IJ
, the Zyl, the Does, and the dams at Zwammerdam
and Spaarndam
. Their privileges were described in a document that was given to the dike wardens at Spaarndam in 1255. This was the subject of a painting by Caesar van Everdingen
that hangs in the Gemeenlandshuis Rijnland, the meeting hall purchased in 1578 on the Breestraat.
This building was also the permanent residence of the dijkgraaf (official). The facade was renovated twenty years later in 1598 to keep up with the new town hall. This Gemeenlandshuis is the first one designed for this purpose and financed by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland. They later built a new Rijnlandshuis in 1641 at Spaarndam to stay at while inspecting the dam complex there, and another one to meet with the Amsterdam Water Board while inspecting the dikes along the Haarlemmertrekvaart
and the sluices at Halfweg. The Gemeenlandshuis Zwanenburg was built by Pieter Post
in 1645-1648. Though nearly demolished today, there is a town named after this building in the Haarlemmermeerpolder called Zwanenburg. The grandeur of all three buildings shows the relative wealth of the water board agency at the time. Not only did they finance these houses, they also financed glass windows for churches and memorials to their members, such as the memorial to Nicolaas Kruik
in the church in Spaarndam.
conducted another restoration of the building.
The Gemeenlandshuis van Rijnland on the Breestraat in Leiden is the oldest Gemeenlandshuis
Gemeenlandshuis
A Gemeenlandshuis, or Waterschapshuis is a building that is or was formerly used as the headquarters of one of the Waterboards of the Netherlands. The Netherlands has 27 Waterboards or Waterschappen.-History:...
of the Netherlands that kept its function until the current century. Currently, it is still in use by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland
Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland
The Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland is the oldest Water board of the Netherlands, having received its first commission to protect the land from flooding back in 1248 from William II of Holland. It conducts water control activities in the general area known as Rijnland...
, but only for meetings and special occasions. Their day-to-day seat of water management is housed today on the Archimedesweg in Leiden.
History
Brittenburg
The Brittenburg, or Lugdunum Batavorum, is a Roman ruin west of Leiden that was visible on the beach between Katwijk aan Zee and Noordwijk aan Zee after storms in the years of 1520, 1552 and 1562...
, making Leiden the oldest place in the Netherlands to conduct water management
Water management
Water management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. In an ideal world. water management planning has regard to all the competing demands for water and seeks to allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy all uses and demands...
. The current building was built to house the Hoogheemraadschap that gets its beginnings from the 12th century when the Oude Rijn
Oude Rijn
Oude Rijn may refer to:* Oude Rijn - A cut-off section of the river Rhine in the province of Gelderland* Oude Rijn - A Rhine branch in the province of Utrecht and South Holland, from Harmelen to the North Sea....
river silted shut at Katwijk
Katwijk
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:...
. In the centuries afterwards, a group of officials called heemraden oversaw the dikes along the IJ
IJ
IJ may refer to:* IJ , the ligature of the letters I and J* IJ , a body of water near Amsterdam, Netherlands* Ij, Iran, a city in Fars Province, Iran* IJmeer, a lake in the Netherlands* immigration judge...
, the Zyl, the Does, and the dams at Zwammerdam
Zwammerdam
Zwammerdam is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn, and lies about 6 km southeast of Alphen aan de Rijn.In 2001, the town of Zwammerdam had 1709 inhabitants...
and Spaarndam
Spaarndam
Spaarndam is a small village in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands, on the Spaarne and IJ rivers. The oldest part of the village, on the western side of the Spaarne, belongs to the municipality of Haarlem; the newer part on the eastern side is a part of the municipality of...
. Their privileges were described in a document that was given to the dike wardens at Spaarndam in 1255. This was the subject of a painting by Caesar van Everdingen
Caesar van Everdingen
Cesar Pietersz, or Cesar Boetius van Everdingen , older brother of Allart van Everdingen and Jan van Everdingen, was a Dutch Golden Age portrait and history painter.-Biography:...
that hangs in the Gemeenlandshuis Rijnland, the meeting hall purchased in 1578 on the Breestraat.
This building was also the permanent residence of the dijkgraaf (official). The facade was renovated twenty years later in 1598 to keep up with the new town hall. This Gemeenlandshuis is the first one designed for this purpose and financed by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland. They later built a new Rijnlandshuis in 1641 at Spaarndam to stay at while inspecting the dam complex there, and another one to meet with the Amsterdam Water Board while inspecting the dikes along the Haarlemmertrekvaart
Haarlemmertrekvaart
The Haarlemmertrekvaart is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. It was dug in 1631, making it the oldest tow-canal in Holland...
and the sluices at Halfweg. The Gemeenlandshuis Zwanenburg was built by Pieter Post
Pieter Post
Pieter Jansz Post was a Dutch Golden Age architect, painter and printmaker.-Biography:...
in 1645-1648. Though nearly demolished today, there is a town named after this building in the Haarlemmermeerpolder called Zwanenburg. The grandeur of all three buildings shows the relative wealth of the water board agency at the time. Not only did they finance these houses, they also financed glass windows for churches and memorials to their members, such as the memorial to Nicolaas Kruik
Nicolaas Kruik
Nicolaas Kruik , also known as Nicolaes Krukius or most commonly by the Latinized Nicolaus Samuelis Cruquius, was a Dutch land surveyor, cartographer, astronomer and weatherman...
in the church in Spaarndam.
Modifications to the building
The facade was renovated twenty years after purchase in 1598 to keep up with the new Leiden town hall. In the years 1660-1670, the interior was redecorated according to a design by Pieter Post. In the early 19th century, it was painted brown, which caused damage to the brick and resulted in restoration activities in 1882. In 1878 the architect Pierre CuypersPierre Cuypers
Petrus Josephus Hubertus Cuypers was a Dutch architect. His name is most frequently associated with the Amsterdam Central Station and the Rijksmuseum , both in Amsterdam. More representative for his oeuvre, however, are numerous churches, of which he designed more than 100...
conducted another restoration of the building.