Amsterdam
The Munttoren is a tower on the Muntplein, in the centre of Amsterdam. It was part of a medieval city gate. Its name comes from the mint, which struck coins here in 1672.
A gate in the walls
Between 1480 and 1487 Amsterdam built the Regulierspoort here, one of the main gates in the city walls. Its name came from a nearby monastery. The gate had two towers with a guardhouse in between.
As the city grew, the walls were no longer needed. In 1618 the gate was destroyed: only the western tower and the guardhouse survived.
The new tower
In 1619 and 1620 Hendrick de Keyser raised the tower again. He added a tall eight-sided section and an open spire of wood covered in lead. Inside he put a clock and a carillon.
The name
In 1672 the Dutch Republic was at war with France. Taking silver to the cities that struck coins was too risky. So coins were struck here, in the guardhouse next to the tower. It did not last long, but the name Munt, meaning mint, has stuck.
Today the tower chimes every quarter of an hour. The small building next to it was rebuilt in 1887; the walkway for pedestrians opened in 1938 and 1939.
