Hofje van Willem Heythuijsen in Haarlem

You're standing at the Hofje van Heythuysen on the Kleine Houtweg in Haarlem, right by the old city woods. A hofje is an almshouse: a cluster of small homes built by a wealthy donor for people with little money. This one is a little unusual. Just look at the shape. Most hofjes are built around an enclosed garden, but this one is shaped like a T, with the garden next to it. And see the small tower building? That was already here around 1600, half a century before the hofje existed.