Roughly half a century ago, De Moriaan, the oldest brick house in the Netherlands, was almost torn down. Today, the inhabitants of ‘s-Hertogenbosch are proud to have this unique building within their city limits. The Gothic house with large rooms and a small round tower is located right in the heart of the city at the Markt. De Moriaan is the most complete example of a large brick hall in 's-Hertogenbosch, which dates back to the beginning of the 13th century. Although some experts believe that with its robust and defensible appearance, it may have served as a city castle for an aristocratic family, it's known that De Moriaan has been both a Reformed and a Lutheran church, a residence for Bishop Metsius, a concert venue, a military barracks and a warehouse. During the turbulent times of the iconoclasm in 1566, the building also served as a meeting place for Reformers who hatched plans here to drive all of the Catholics from the city. Despite thorough refurbishing, some original architectural elements have survived, especially in the building's interior. A large part of the walls and wooden support beams still date from the medieval period in which the house was built. De Moriaan now houses the city's tourist information centre and and the underground music club Café Plein '79.