The Mint Tower is one of the city’s most visible landmarks and anyone who has visited the Flower Market or done some shopping on the Kalverstraat has definitely noticed this unique bell tower with a clock on each of its four sides. Originally a gate called the Regulierspoort that was part of Amsterdam’s fortified city wall, it was destroyed during a fire in 1618, but rebuilt two years later in Amsterdam Renaissance style by the eminent Dutch Golden Age architect Hendrick de Keyser, who also built the Westerkerk and Zuiderkerk among other famous edifices scattered about the city. It gained its name in the 17th century when the French occupied parts of the Netherlands forcing the Dutch to move their coin minting operations to this location. The adjoining building, which now houses a Delft ceramics shop, was erected in the 19th century and replaced the original guardhouse.