Hofje In den Groenen Tuin

Hofje In den Groenen Tuin is a historic almshouse courtyard in the city center of Haarlem, Netherlands. Founded in 1616, it is one of the oldest surviving hofjes in a city renowned for these distinctive charitable institutions, which provided housing for elderly women in a communal setting centered on a shared garden. The hofje remains an active residential community and is open to public visitors on weekday mornings, offering a rare glimpse into four centuries of Dutch social and architectural history.

The hofje was established in 1616 from the estate of Catherina Jansdochter Amen, widow of Jacob Claesz. van Schoorl, who purchased the house 'Den Groenen Thuijn' with its garden for this purpose. The original foundation was intended for Roman Catholic women aged 50 and over who could still support themselves. The regulations required residents to purchase their place for 50 guilders and bring specified household goods including a bed, six sheets, decent clothing, and textiles; upon death, all their possessions reverted to the hofje. Fellow residents were obliged to attend funerals and received a breakfast on such occasions. A major rebuilding occurred in 1885-1886, when the number of dwellings was reduced from 20 to 18 to create more spacious, modern accommodations. The main building on Warmoesstraat was designed by architect C.R. Robbers, who also designed the Hofje van Beresteyn. The facade and roof of this main building were altered in 1978, and a further modernization took place in 1986-1987. The hofje marked its 400th anniversary in 2016 with the installation of a courtyard pump in the garden.

The hofje does not hold an art collection in the conventional sense. Its historical and cultural significance lies in its preserved documentary and architectural heritage. A copy of the original rules and regulations remains posted near the front entrance, detailing the admission requirements and financial arrangements for residents. The institution also preserves the memory of its charitable purpose through its maintained structures and the continuity of its residential function.

The most notable physical remnant of the hofje's early history is the decorative gevelsteen, or facade stone, above the rear entrance on Lange Veerstraat 24. This stone depicts a flowering garden and originally belonged to the house 'Den Groenen Thuijn,' from which the hofje takes its name. The main building constructed in 1885 replaced the last Gothic house in Haarlem, known as the Court of Holland, which was demolished to make way for the new structure. The 2016 anniversary courtyard pump in the garden serves as a more recent commemorative feature.

The hofje occupies a site in Haarlem's historic city center, with its public entrance at Warmoesstraat 23 and a separate residents' entrance at Lange Veerstraat 24. The current configuration dates from the 1885 rebuilding by C.R. Robbers, which created a new stately entrance on Warmoesstraat and established the present arrangement of 18 dwellings. The main building contains the regents' room and a special regentesses' room behind it. Four women now reside in the main building, with 14 in the cottages surrounding the interior garden, though one source indicates the current total is 17 dwellings. The site is characterized by its enclosed garden court, the traditional defining feature of a hofje.

Hofje In den Groenen Tuin is located at Warmoesstraat 23 in central Haarlem. It is open to the public on weekdays from 10:00 to 12:00, accessible by ringing the doorbell; the hofje is closed on weekends. Visitors enter through the main entrance on Warmoesstraat, while the Lange Veerstraat entrance with its notable gevelsteen is reserved for residents and administrators. The hofje remains a private residential foundation, currently with J.H. Willemink serving as chairman of the board. It continues to fulfill its original charitable purpose as a provider of housing for women, though the strict religious and financial requirements of the sevent refined regulations no longer apply.