stadhuis

Stadhuis is the Dutch term for the town hall or city hall, the main municipal government building in a Dutch-speaking city or municipality in the Netherlands and Flemish-speaking parts of Belgium. It typically houses the offices of the mayor (burgemeester) and the municipal executive, the city council (gemeenteraad), and essential civil services such as the civil registry (burgerlijke stand) and archives. The building may also host official ceremonies, including civil weddings, and provide space for public meetings and cultural functions. In everyday usage, many municipalities refer to their complex as gemeentehuis, but stadhuis often signals the historic seat of local government and civic life.

Stadhuis buildings are usually located on central squares and are notable examples of civic architecture. Architectural styles range from late Gothic and Renaissance to Baroque and neoclassical, often with ornate façades, grand staircases, and formal council chambers. In several Dutch cities the stadhuis was built or expanded to symbolize autonomous urban government during the Renaissance and the Dutch Golden Age; in some cases the building later served additional roles or was repurposed, as in Amsterdam where the 17th‑century city hall became the Royal Palace.

Historically, the stadhuis grew from medieval magistrates’ houses as cities gained self-rule. Today it remains a symbol of municipal authority and heritage, continuing to house administrative functions while also serving as a cultural landmark open to visitors in many places.