Gasthuisjes, Haarlem, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

The Gasthuisjes are a row of small former guest houses at Groot Heiligland 63 to 85 in Haarlem, built between 1608 and 1612 and standing directly opposite the Frans Hals Museum. They are a quiet reminder of how the city once cared for its older residents, and of how that care could be bought.

The story behind it

The cottages were built on the orders of the hospital masters of the St. Elisabeth hospital, also known as the Grote Gasthuis, which stood around the corner. The idea was simple. Older people who had put some money aside could register as residents, pay a single fee, and in return receive shelter and care for the rest of their lives.

That makes the Gasthuisjes different from the better-known Dutch courtyard almshouses, which were charitable foundations. Here the arrangement was closer to a business deal, a one-off payment in exchange for security in old age. Today the row is a useful way to picture daily life in Haarlem in the early seventeenth century, the same period in which the city's painters were at work.

What to look for

• Look at the row as a whole and notice how small and low the houses are compared with the grander buildings in the centre of Haarlem.
• Find the house numbers running from 63 to 85, which mark the full length of the former guest houses.
• Turn around and compare the cottages with the Frans Hals Museum on the opposite side of the street, two very different kinds of building facing each other.
• Pay attention to the street name, Groot Heiligland, and the quiet atmosphere of this stretch, away from the busier squares.

Tips for your visit

• Ten minutes is enough to look at the row and read the street, longer if you combine it with the museum opposite. Check current opening hours for the museum.
• The cottages are best seen from the street. Treat them as people's homes and do not expect to go inside.
• Morning or late afternoon light is gentle on the facades, and the street is usually calm outside the busiest hours.
• The Grote Markt and the St. Bavo church are a short walk away, so the Gasthuisjes fit easily into a wider stroll through the old centre.

See it on a quest

The Gasthuisjes are one stop on Writing history in Haarlem, a self-guided walk with a history theme. You reach the cottages on foot as part of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start any time, with no guide and no group to join.