Drommedaris

The building was erected as a defense work at the entrance to the Old Harbor, and was originally on the Westfriesian dike; this ran from the north; over the Breedstraat along to the Zuiderdijk.

Above the gate is a cell for those condemned to death, in which oak wooded dates and sometimes poems are carved.

Outside above the entrance to this gate, the weapon of the Emperor was carved out of white stone with the text below: "Blessed is the City and highly praised, who prays for war in times of peace."

The name Ketenpoort refers to the salt works (zoutketen) south of the city along the Zuiderdijk, which could be reached via this gate.

See a picture in the gallery Around 1960, the Drommedaris housed a student center complete with a ground-floor bar.

Students, including the Dutch Princess (later Queen Beatrix of Orange), slept in the prison cells in the attic.

The space below, like the second floor, became a small auditorium that was used for concerts, theater performances, and art exhibits.

Peter Bakker (1946-1999), a historian from the Zuiderzee Museum, also wrote that the carillon was primarily used to warn ships in fog when they entered the haven.

The largest of his still in existence, formerly the bell from the Westerkerk and the hour strike of the Drommedaris, features the inscription IHESUS - MARIA - IOHANNES Gherardus de Wou me Fecit anno Domini MCCCCCXXIII.

1675 We overcome / sound louder than (= vincimus) the song of the faithful (= fidium modulos) and the verses (psalms?)

In 1816 it was time for a restoration; we read in the resolutions of the Mayor and City Council on March 15 of that year that due to the poor financial condition of the municipality, money from the so-called Pole Law should be used.

Van Bergan extended the instrument to three octaves (36 bells), removing Geert van Wou's hour strike bell to make room for the third octave and allow for a more logical playing mechanism.

The old hour bell by Van Wou was not returned from the church on Klopperstraat, but rather, a new hour-bell from Eijsbouts was added in 1982.

During the restoration of the building between 2011 and 2015, the wood and lead work of the dome was completely renewed and the carillon was renovated once again.

Furthermore, due to the new, better-proportioned manganese brass clappers, the sound of the historic bells in this unique carillon was significantly improved.

It has been a tradition since it was first commissioned in 1659 that this happens through the full 24 hours of the day and night Outside the building, above the eastern dial, hangs the ferryman bell from 1775 cast by Jan Verbruggen.

Jan Verbruggen worked in the city bell foundry on the present-day Donkerelaantje at Emmaplein in Enkhuizen, where the burial cellars of the cemetery are now located.

There is a small cannon in the collection of the Zuiderzee Museum which he made for the VOC room in Enkhuizen.