Typical Facades and Gables in Dutch Architecture

This building near the center of Tholen features a typical, yet elaborate gable front. Most of the buildings are very narrow, with two or three stories above. The street levels can either be homes or storefronts even in the same part of town. Always the windows are dressed with lace curtains and potted flowers inside the home. Every home without exception is immaculate and "home show perfect."

This style of store front facade was very typical of almost all Dutch cities. The date of original construction is proudly posted on the top of many of them dating back many hundreds of years. It is fun to walk down any city street in the Netherlands and just look at the building architectural features, noting the dates.

As I noted before, brick is extensively used in all construction in the Netherlands. Many fronts had little wings that jutted out where the face met the roofline. Often, the bricks were set at an angle along the diagonal rooflines as well. The brick masons were certainly skilled in their work and must have been competing for awards in design uniqueness.