Town Hall
The contemporary form of the town hall, in Flemish Neorenaissance, dates from 1922. On the ground floor you will find a.o. the tourism office. The former town hall, in the Langestraat, functions now as police station.
The present town hall, bordering to the south the market place, dates from 1922 (cf. anchor date on the south gable). During the reconstruction after the First World War attempts were made to concentrate all important public buildings near the market place.
For the construction of the new town hall not less than four trader families had to evacuate their homes. Currently, the municipal administration services and the tourism office are housing in the town hall.
A rich collection of works of art, a.o. etchings, drawings, aquarelles, paintings and sculptures form part of the interior. Architecturally this town hall belongs to the Flemish Neorenaissance. The former escutcheon of the town is placed above the basket-arch-shaped door. It consists of a representation of a ploughing farmer and a fisherman with an anchor. On top the Latin name of the town, i.e. "Novus Portus" is mentioned.
In the middle of the market place is a stone of hard stone with the Freedom charter or Town charter from Nieuwpoort, carved by W. Vermandere. Philip of the Alsace, earl of Flanders, gave this Freedom charter to Nieuwpoort in 1163. The awarding of the Town charter meant to Nieuwpoort a complete autonomy on administrative, tax and legal level. This charter proves the importance of Nieuwpoort in the course of the centuries.