Waterpoort

The city lay on the important trade route between Leeuwarden and Stavoren, from which the rich western parts of the Netherlands (now North Holland and South Holland) could be reached.

To facilitate this trade, a new harbour called the "Kolk" was built to the southwest of the city and in 1613 the Waterpoort was erected to connect city and harbour.

It is unclear who designed it, but names suggested include those of Thomas Berentsz.

Above the gate itself, which originally would have had wooden fences, is a loggia (gallery) and above that are what were the quarters of the gatekeeper.

[1] Media related to Waterpoort Sneek at Wikimedia Commons