Believe it or not, Rotterdam was once quite the historical city. Like every medieval city, Rotterdam had a few city gates through which people entered. All of these city gates have disappeared over the years. The only one still standing is the Delfsche Poort near the Hofplein. Only thing is: it isn’t what it used to be.

The gate blocked new urban planning in the beginning of the twentieth century. The city council wanted to demolish the building, but the people from Rotterdam (historical aware as they were) protested. It was decided the Delfsche Poort should be moved a couple of meters. In the middle of this process the war broke out and the building was bombed. After this setback it was decided the gate wouldn’t be restructured.

The idea remained and half a century later a building erected which resembled the Delfsche Poort in some way. Artist Cor Kraat designed a structure, according to the drawings of the gate from 1764. It resulted in an orange skeleton with some original ornaments. It has a weird and eerie vibe. Almost like the life is sucked out of the area. Centuries ago it was a busy, lively area. Nowadays it is quiet. Still, sometimes I like to walk through it and think about the people who entered the city and had a first gaze upon the old city center.