Templars House, Zierikzee, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Templars House, officially called Huis De Haene, is a merchant house from the 14th century on Meelstraat in the old centre of Zierikzee. It is regarded as the oldest house in the city, built in a Bruges style, and its popular name comes from a legend that has little to do with documented history.

The story behind it

The house was built in the 14th century for a merchant, in a style that echoes the trading houses of Bruges. Its proper name, Huis De Haene, means House of the Roosters, after two sculpted roosters set into the facade. Over the centuries they have weathered, so you may have to look closely to pick them out.

Most people know it as the Templars House. The story goes that the Knights Templar were wiped out here in a single night, but there is no proof that a Templar community ever lived in Zierikzee. The name is better read as local folklore than as recorded history. It is a good example of how a town keeps the version of the past that makes the better story.

What to look for

• Search the facade for the two sculpted roosters that give the house its original name, and note how worn they have become.
• Look at the overall shape and proportions of the building, which follow a Bruges style rather than the more common local look.
• Notice how the house sits within its street and compare its age with the neighbouring buildings along Meelstraat.
• Take in the street itself, a quiet corner of the historic centre where the old layout of the town is still easy to read.

Tips for your visit

• Plan on about ten minutes in front of the house. It is a place to look at carefully rather than a long stop.
• Treat it as a view from the street, as it is a private house and not a museum. Check locally before assuming any access to the inside.
• Soft morning or late afternoon light shows the facade details best and the street tends to be calmer.
• Combine it with a wider stroll through the historic centre of Zierikzee, since many of the town's old streets and buildings lie within easy walking distance.

See it on a quest

The Templars House is one stop on Historic Highlights of Zierikzee: Time-travel with Cristóbal de Mondragón, a self-guided walk through the historic centre. You reach the house on foot as part of a longer route, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot, which makes you look at the facade far more closely than a passing glance would. You start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join, and one ticket covers the whole group.