De brand van het oude stadhuis op de Dam (7 juli 1652)

Early on Sunday morning, 7 July 1652, fire broke out in the old town hall. The fire spread rapidly in the old building.Dam Square was quickly barricaded off, as the town hall also housed the Exchange Bank. The fire gave off an unbearable heat. Several days later the coins, melted into lumps of metal, were retrieved from the ruins. Huge smoke clouds rise from the burning building. Men have formed chains and pass buckets of water from hand to hand. The wet white canvas sails to the left of the town hall are to prevent flying sparks from spreading the fire. Incidentally, Beerstraten has adapted the topography to produce a dramatic scene of the disaster.

De brand van het oude stadhuis op de Dam (7 juli 1652)

Early on Sunday morning, 7 July 1652, fire broke out in the old town hall. The fire spread rapidly in the old building.Dam Square was quickly barricaded off, as the town hall also housed the Exchange Bank. The fire gave off an unbearable heat. Several days later the coins, melted into lumps of metal, were retrieved from the ruins. Huge smoke clouds rise from the burning building. Men have formed chains and pass buckets of water from hand to hand. The wet white canvas sails to the left of the town hall are to prevent flying sparks from spreading the fire. Incidentally, Beerstraten has adapted the topography to produce a dramatic scene of the disaster.