Once a defensive gateway to the city, the Haarlemmerpoort marked the start of the busy route to Haarlem, which was a major trading route. The structure was finished just in time for King William II's staged entry for his 1840 investiture, hence its little-known official name of Willemspoort (see the plaque inside).
Traffic no longer runs through the gate since a bypass was built over the Westerkanaal. Today this grand archway is home to apartments with an alluring view of the canal and Westerpark beyond.
