[4] The Waag was built around 1686 to uniformly weigh and levy taxes on goods arriving in the colony.

It was located in the harbour near the warehouses of the Dutch West India Company, and was initially a basic building.

[1] In January 1821, a fire consumed a large part of the city centre including de Waag[5] An architectural competition was organized to rebuild the building.

[6] The Waag has been constructed with plastered brick,[6] and is one of the few historic buildings in the centre not made out of wood.

[1] Inside the building is a wide open space supported by four massive columns,[6] allowing the merchants to arrive with horse and carriage.