The Raadhuis

Lommel’s stately former town hall, the Raadhuis, stands in the centre of Marktplein. Venture past the beautiful white façades and you’ll find a reception hall, concert hall and an exhibition space full of glass art.

Although the old Council House is not a listed monument, it still has great monument value for the Lommelaars. At the beginning of the 17th century there was a chapel on the Market Square. In 1648 the chapel became the town hall. Then, in 1845, the sledge hammer was pulled out and a classicist town hall was built. A small rectangular building, with a small tower with a bell on the roof. This was given a very eclectic style during the extension in 1912. After a final restoration in 1989, this cultural-historical building is used for meetings, courses and all kinds of ceremonies. The city staff got a new town hall across the street.

It houses a small selection of works of art from Lommel’s glass art collection and the loans from the collectors Guy Embrechts & Adhemar Ryckaert and Dirk Schrijvers.

The Raadhuis was also once a police station with a jail. You can still tell from the little doors. You’d need witchcraft to get in here without a headache. Speaking of witches: Lommel had its very own witch in the 19th century. She was nicknamed ‘De Zwarte Fles’ (The Black Bottle) because she always wore a long cloak and carried a hollowed out turnip lantern, shaped like a skull. Halloween before it became a thing!