Take a look at the big building a little to the right. Now there is a Jumbo supermarket with a parking garage underneath located, but it has not always been there.
This is where the Hoeksterpoort was located. It was built in 1484 on the occasion of the construction of the new canal around Leeuwarden. In the beginning, the Hoeksterpoort was initially a simple passage in the city wall, which was rebuilt a couple of times during its history. In 1625 it was equipped with two beautiful towers on either side. The Hoeksterbuitenpoort was built in 1584 after the construction of the raveline, the Hoeksterdwinger, in front of the inner gate. This outer gate was rebuilt in 1783. In 1831 both the inner, the outer and the water gate were razed to the ground. The new rijksweg was constructed by the excavated Hoeksterdwinger and a part of the ravelin moat (Hoeksterpad) was filled in. Gasworks was later built on the raveline and now the parking garage is located there.
The parking garage has the shape of an old forcer (bastion). The enforcers were the defences of Leeuwarden. They gave the city centre its characteristic diamond shape, which is still easily recognisable today. On the wall of the parking garage, the urban development of this enforcer is depicted in six illustrations, which cover the period from 1550 to 2000.
