The only Belfry in the Netherlands stands in Sluis.
The 'pride' of Sluis is the Belfry. You can see the Belfry Tower from afar, which shows that Sluis has a rich history.
The Belfry was built in 1375, modelled after other Belfries in Flanders, such as in Ghent and Bruges. The higher the tower, the greater the power. It is a rectangular building constructed in Gothic style with a substantial built-in tower. The tower has 4 protruding corner turrets.
The tower was the symbol of the city's freedom and at the same time an ideal lookout point for the city guards.
In 1393 the town hall was destroyed by fire. The year 1396 above the entrance is the date of the reconstruction of the town hall. The artist Jacob van Huse created a little clock man "Jantje van Sluis" in 1424. This figure was placed in the tower and strikes the time on the bells with his hammer. Jantje is the hero of Sluis, why? Be sure to read this wonderful legend elsewhere on this site.
During the Second World War, on 11 October 1944, the town hall was destroyed and practically razed to the ground. Afterwards it was rebuilt in its original state and put back into use in 1960.
The council chamber of the Belfry is magnificent and radiates sheer splendour, history and wealth. Something that immediately catches the eye is the wrought iron gate from the 18th century. The coat of arms decorations on the beams belong to people who have been of historical significance to the city of Sluis. Such as the Counts of Flanders, the Dukes of Burgundy and Prince Maurice.
Nowadays the cellar of the Belfry serves as an exhibition space, but in the past very different (scary) scenes took place here. Part of the cellar served as a torture chamber. The torture rack is still there. Tortures were carried out on it. The cellar was also used for various purposes, such as storage space for cannons, guns and war equipment, for drying fishing nets and as a meat hall.
The Belfry breathes history. Boring? Not at all! The Belfry is now an interactive museum. On every floor there is plenty to discover and experience about, among other things, the history of Sluis, J.H. van Dale and language. In the tower room you can test your knowledge with a quiz, play the dialect game, listen to Jantje van Sluis and climb the Belfry Tower.