Description of the attraction
Among the many attractions of the Dutch city of Haarlem, the famous covered market located in the very heart of Haarlem on the Grote Markt square, built specifically for the sale of fresh meat at the beginning of the 17th century and known as the Meat Rows, undoubtedly deserves special attention.
A small covered market for fresh meat has existed near the Grote Markt at the intersection of Spekstraat and Warmoesstraat since 1386, but by the end of the 16th century it became too small to meet the needs of the rapidly growing city and the city authorities decided to build a new one., a more spacious structure. Especially for the construction of a new market in 1601, the mayor's office acquired several private houses on the Grote Markt and demolished them. The project of the building in the so-called Dutch Renaissance style, popular at that time, was developed by the famous Dutch architect Lieven de Kay and cost the city a tidy sum. During the construction, only the best and, accordingly, the most expensive materials were used. The inauguration of the Meat Rows took place in November 1604, and until 1840 it was the only place in Haarlem where fresh meat was officially permitted to be sold.
In 1840, in the building of the former market, the warehouses of the military garrison stationed in Kharlm were equipped, and in 1885 the State Archives were located here, and then the city library. During the Second World War and for several years after its end, the building housed a service distributing cards for food and scarce goods, after which the Haarlem City Council decided that this historic building would be used for exhibitions.
Today, the Haarlem Meat Rows are part of the exhibition complex known as "De Hallen Haarlem", and its past is only reminiscent of the sculptural images of bull heads adorning the facade of the building. The upper floors house the collection of modern art of the Frans Hals Museum, while the ground floor is occupied by the Archaeological Museum.
