The Stadhuis in Haarlem is an elegant building, with a long history, that overlooks the church in the centre of the town. The original building was a castle gifted to the town by the Duke of Holland in the 13th century. During the 16th century, the neighbouring Dominican monastery was incorporated, and some more extensions were added in the 17th century. The tower was pulled down in the 18th century because of safety concerns, but was carefully rebuilt in 1914 by the local trust. Inside the Stadhuis there are some interesting portraits of local nobles, along with some works by Frans Hals.
