view of the brol in leeuwarden

This painting was made in 1662 by Abraham Beerstraaten. The remarkable house to the left of the bridge served to haul up the beer barrels that were brought to the city by boat.

^{View of the Brol in Leeuwarden, Jan Abrahamsz. Beerstraaten, 1662}

The image gives the viewer an impression of the city’s bustling centre in the 17th century. The Brol, also known as Kaak bridge was where the action was: the market was held there, as were open-air plays and also public punishments: on the middle of the bridge was the so called kaak or pillory, which served to expose criminals to the public.