Waag

Lonely Planet review

The very grand, multi-turreted Waag (Weigh House) dates from 1488, when it was part of the city fortifications. It looked more like a castle in those days, fronted by a moatlike canal and built into the old city walls. From the 17th century onward it was the main weigh house.

The surgeons' guild, who occupied the upper floor, commissioned Rembrandt's famous The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp (displayed in the Mauritshuis museum in Den Haag). The masons' guild was based in the tower facing the Zeedijk; note the superfine brickwork.

Public executions took place at the Waag, but more recently it served as a fire station and vault for the city archives. A bar-restaurant occupies it today, lit by medieval candle-wheels to great effect. The square is a venue for weekly markets and other events.