Groot Handelsgebouw

Groot Handelsgebouw: a symbol of Rotterdam’s reconstruction

The Groot Handelsgebouw, located beside Rotterdam Centraal, is one of the most important buildings associated with the reconstruction of Rotterdam after the Second World War.

Measuring approximately 220 metres long and 85 metres wide, with around 128,000 m² of floor space, the complex was one of the largest architectural projects undertaken in the city during the early post-war years.

Construction began in 1948 and the building was completed in 1953. Its official opening took place that same year in the presence of Queen Juliana.

A building created to rebuild the city’s economy

The bombing of Rotterdam in May 1940 destroyed a large part of the city centre and an enormous amount of commercial space. For many individual businesses, rebuilding their own warehouses and offices was financially impossible.

In 1944, entrepreneur Frits Pot proposed creating a large commercial building where different wholesalers could share facilities. The idea received support from Franz Lichtenauer of the Chamber of Commerce and Kees van der Leeuw, one of the figures involved in Rotterdam’s post-war reconstruction.

The project was developed by architects Hugh Maaskant and Willem van Tijen. Maaskant also travelled to the United States to study large commercial complexes, and buildings such as Chicago’s Merchandise Mart provided inspiration for the new Rotterdam complex.

A city within a building

The Groot Handelsgebouw was designed almost as a commercial city in itself. In its early years, the complex contained offices, warehouses, workshops and showrooms used by numerous wholesalers.

One of its most unusual features is its internal network of streets and service routes. Vehicles could enter the building and reach different parts of the complex, making the movement of goods much easier.

The building also included restaurants and shared facilities for the people working there. On the roof was the Kriterion cinema, which became one of the cultural venues associated with post-war Rotterdam.

From wholesale centre to office complex

Over the following decades, many wholesalers moved away from central Rotterdam to industrial areas on the outskirts of the city. The Groot Handelsgebouw gradually adapted to new uses, particularly offices and business spaces.

In 1996, its name officially changed from Groothandelsgebouw to Groot Handelsgebouw, reflecting the transformation of the complex from a wholesale centre into a broader business building.

The building underwent a major renovation and restoration between 2002 and 2005, helping to restore many elements of its original architectural character. Today it remains one of the most important examples of Rotterdam’s post-war reconstruction architecture.

The Groot Handelsgebouw is protected as a Rijksmonument, or Dutch national monument.

Groot Handelsgebouw: practical information

Watch a video with photos of the Groot Handelsgebouw.

Other monuments in Rotterdam

Bibliotheek | Hoofdpostkantoor | Hotel New York | Kubuswoningen | Schielandshuis | Sint-Laurenskerk | ss Rotterdam | Stadhuis | Van Nelle | Watertoren | Witte Huis