The old man's house in Goes is a national monument on the Zusterstraat in Goes.
After an orphanage was opened in a former monastery on the Zusterstraat in 1628, the orphanage also took in the elderly. They could buy in for a considerable sum and had to bring their own bed with blankets and a few other items, which were forfeited to the orphanage upon death. The mixing of elderly and children and the mixing of functions led to difficulties. As a result, part of the money raised was used from 1654 onwards to build a separate man's house. For this purpose, houses on the Zusterstraat were demolished. At the beginning of 1656, a large but modest complex was built. Only the entrance is provided with a beautiful gate, on which a text and two statues are placed. The text reads
To the aid and comfort of man and woman
Is erected this new building
In reste ider hier syn tyt
En teynde van syn leve slyt
. The statues represent a wealthy man and woman, which the manhuis was aiming for. And they did come, after all, a hefty purchase price had to be paid for a quiet and well-cared-for old age.
In later times, the manhuis increasingly became a shelter for poor elderly people. Until 1969, the manhuis retained its function as a home for the elderly. After that, it was used by the music school. In 1982-1983, the building was restored, after which the ROC Zeeland and Luzac College temporarily settled there.[1][2] In 2020, the old manhuis was transformed into a hotel. Boutique Hotel Rijks opened its doors in early 2021[3].
Source: Wikipedia