Statencollege Hoorn
This national monument was built in the 17th century as a State College for the Committeed Councils of West Friesland and the North Quarter. Today it is part of the Westfries Museum. Together, the collection and the building tell the story of the 17th century. Originally, several houses stood on this spot, including one of the first stone houses of Hoorn: the Proostenhuys. The late medieval vaulted cellar is one of the few remnants of this house.
Location
Hoorn
Year built
1631-1632
Building Style
Dutch Renaissance
Client
Committed Councils
Past function
States College
Special feature
The city arms of the 7 cities involved
Owned by Monumentenbezit
Since 2016
Wheelchair accessible
Yes, after the restoration
Visitor information
The former Staten College has housed the Westfries Museum since 1880. Until mid-2027, the museum is closed due to extensive restoration and renovation.
Visiting address:
Roode Steen 1, 1621 CV Hoorn
On the site of the former State College Hoorn stood the "Grote Stynhuys" (large stone house) toward the end of the 14th century. This house was owned by Gijsbert van Nijenrode, bailiff of West Friesland, Kennemerland and Nieuwburg. In 1396 he gave the house in loan to his nephew Jan Claeszoon, at that time sheriff of Hoorn. Part of the present vaulted cellar is a remnant of this large stone house.
Next to this stone house, a second stone house was built in 1425. The house was commissioned by Andreas Vierclen and was originally called "Het Hoge Huys. The builder, Andreas Vierclen, a supporter of the Hoekse party, built this fortified house for protection against the predominantly Kabeljauw citizens of Hoorn. Later the house was named 'Proostenhuys', named after the function of the person who inhabited the building between 1450-1460. This occupant, Philips van Wassenaer, was provost (emissary) of the diocese of Utrecht. Van Wassenaer used the building as his official residence.
When the Hoorn city council became Protestant in 1572, the provost had to leave the city. In 1573, the College of Commissioners of West Friesland and the Noorderkwartier, the executive committee of the States of North Holland above Amsterdam, moved into the building. Plans for expansion were made. The houses on the Roode Steen, Hoorn's central square, and the Proostenhuys were bought up and then demolished to make way for new construction. In 1631-1632, the new complex arose on this site.
In 1729, the building was modernized. The existing wall with gate on the Roode Steen was demolished to make way for a wrought-iron fence made by J. Uljé. In 1775, the facade on the forecourt was replaced by a facade of the same type of natural stone as the showcase facade. In 1787-1788, two neighboring properties were purchased for the purpose of enlarging the Staten complex. Both of the purchased houses received a single new facade in 1789, designed by Leendert Viervant.
The College of States was abolished after the French invasion of 1795 and the building became the property of the Batavian Republic. In 1817, the former seat of the Gecommitteerde Raden was ceded by the State of the Netherlands to the municipality of Hoorn and, after more than two decades of vacancy, the district court moved into the building. Sixty years later a district court took its place, occupying part of the rooms. The building again became property of the state. From 1879, the unused rooms housed a museum of local artifacts. Between 1908 and 1911, extensive restoration of the museum building took place. In the process, the facade and foundations were demolished and rebuilt in concrete and bluestone. The cross windows were reconstructed and the original lion sculptures were replaced.
In 1932, the entire building was designated as a museum. A major restoration took place in the years 1950-1960. During the work, two cellars were found that were probably part of the Proostenhuys. Foundations of the Great Stynhuys were also encountered. Since 2016, the building has been owned by Monumentenbezit.
Staten College was built in the Renaissance style. This architectural style was used in the Netherlands approximately between 1530 and 1650 and originated in Italy. The Dutch Renaissance style is characterized by the use of columns, pediments and ornaments such as scrollwork and cartouches. The 1631-1632 building is richly ornamented with pilasters with Doric, Ionic and Corinthian capitals. The seat of the Board of Commissioners of West Friesland and the North Quarter was intended to radiate authority.
A striking feature of the natural stone façade the former States College Hoorn, are the seven sculpted lions at the corners of the stepped gable. Each lion holds a city crest of the seven cities that were represented in the Gecommitteerde Raden. These cities were Alkmaar, Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Edam, Medemblik, Monnikendam and Purmerend. The shutters are yellow and blue, the colors of the coat of arms of West Friesland. The coat of arms of West Friesland is placed centrally in the front facade.
At the very top, the coat of arms of Frederick Henry (1584-1647) is visible, flanked by Roman soldiers. Frederick Henry was stadholder at the time of the construction of Staten College and a member of the Order of the Garter. Surrounding the coat of arms is the motto of this Order, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" ("shame on those who think evil of it").