The city of Bree had the Gewanthuis as its city hall, which was located on the Vrijthof. The city council and the court of aldermen met here, the city guard was seated there, and markets were held under this house.
The building was constructed from 1587 to 1591, with a slate roof, a turret and partly brick walls. It housed the magistrates, the court, the aldermen, the militia, the fire brigade, the city guard and a modest arsenal with guns, fuses and bullets. In 1647 the facade was renovated, but in 1755 a new front facade was completed in Louis XIV style, with a pediment in rococo style. On it is a relief depicting the battle of Saint Michael with the dragon, as well as three coats of arms: that of Bree, that of the Austrian emperor, and that of Johan Theodoor van Beieren, the then prince-bishop of Liège.
The old town hall served as such until 1969, after which it housed the tourist office, and since 1975 also the Bree Local History Museum. The town hall moved to a modern building on the Grauwe Torenwal, and in 2004 it moved into the former Sint-Michielscollege.