House "de Grote Sterre"

Location: Jacob van Maerlantstraat 3, 8340 Damme [gps]
Accessibility: yes, the Tourist Office is in this house

Just like house Saint-John, house "de Grote Sterre" (House the Big Star) consists of two separate houses that were united.  Originally, the names of the houses were "Sterre" (Star) and "Craeynest" (Crow's Nest), which then became "de Grote Sterre" in the 17th century.  These two houses date back to the 13th century and the facades probably were raised out of wood.  The present stone facades were built in the 15th and 16th century.  In 1615, the house became the property of the king of Spain.  During the Spanish occupation, the Spanish military governors resided in this house.  In the 18th century, it belonged to canon J. van der Stricht (see also: Saint-Christoffelfarm).  The weapon with the canon's device 'Pacem Opto' (peace I choose) decorates the facade above the entrance.

At the end of the 20th century, the house was in a very poor condition.  On 26 February 1992, the almost inevitable happened: during a heavy storm the building collapsed.  It was restored, but only 5 years after the storm the house could be used again.  Original pieces (such as several pieces of furniture and chimnies)  that survived the destruction, were placed again on their original place in the reconstruction.

The Office of Tourism of Damme, the Visitor's Center of the Euregio Scheldemond, a heritage store of the Flemish Heritage Foundation (Stichting Vlaams Erfgoed) and the Uylenspieghel museum can be found here.  In this house, you can obtain all kinds of information on the region.  Openinghours: the whole year in the week from 9 to 12 and from 14 to 17h.  From 16/4 to 15/10 till 18h.  In the weekend open from 14 to 17h.