Historic Stepped-Gable Building

Haarlem is known for its narrow houses and distinctive gabled rooflines, but some buildings command more attention than others. This richly decorated brick building combines a traditional stepped gable with projecting windows, patterned masonry and numerous carved and ornamental details.

The alternating bands of red brick and pale stone create strong horizontal lines across the façade. Dark projecting windows provide contrast, while their small leaded-glass panes recall an earlier style of Dutch craftsmanship. Sculpted faces, decorative shields, stone accents and ornamental ironwork fill the spaces between the windows, giving the building an unusually elaborate appearance.

Stepped gables became a defining feature of Dutch architecture during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. They concealed the steeply pitched roofs behind them while also giving property owners an opportunity to distinguish their buildings. The style was later revived and adapted, so without identifying this particular building, its exact age cannot be determined from its appearance alone.

The ground floor now serves as commercial space, continuing Haarlem’s long tradition of combining business and daily life within the same building. Above the modern storefront, the ornate façade preserves the character of an earlier architectural age.

It was the kind of building that made us stop in the middle of an ordinary walk. Its craftsmanship, color and abundance of detail represented one of the enduring pleasures of Haarlem: history remaining visible within the life of the modern city.