De Hof is the largest square in the city centre of Amersfoort. The square is part of the Rijks Protected Face Amersfoort. At the Court there is a market every Friday and Saturday.
The name de Hof goes back to the medieval episcopal court that was situated on a spur of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug where the river Eem flowed with a bend on the east side. This episcopal court is first mentioned in 1203, in an episcopal charter which shows that the court already existed in 1196.
The Hof was probably a place where the proceeds from the possessions of the bishop of Utrecht were collected. The bishop's court was probably not on the site of the current square, as no traces of the court were found here. Presumably it was on the north side of the square, where St. George's Church now stands.
In the 13th and 14th centuries the court was raised several times to make it suitable for markets. In the 16th century the Hof was paved and it was also known as Marktveld (Market Square) the place for all the markets in the city.
I'm Jeroen, and I'll spare you the long introduction. ;) If you're looking for a landscape photo for your wall, you've come to the right place... Read more…