Above the entrance you can see the statue of Saint Christopher, which dates from 1914. This artwork was a gift from the municipality of Bergen op Zoom to the Third Infantry Regiment, which was celebrating its centenary that year and was using the Markiezenhof as its barracks.
The sculpture was made by Atelier Custers, with a contribution from the sculptor Piet van Dongen. 

According to legend, Saint Christopher was a giant who lived on the bank of a dangerous river. There he met the hermit Antony, who managed to convert him to the Christian faith. After his conversion, Christopher decided to put his strength to the service of others and became a ferryman: he carried travellers safely across the wild water.

One day, a small child asked him to take him across. During the crossing, Christopher was astonished to find that the child grew heavier with every step, until the weight became almost unbearable. Once on the other side, the child revealed himself to be the baby Jesus. He had tested Christoffel’s faith and devotion and let him know that he had borne not only a child, but the burden of the world.

Stadspaleis houses a magnificent 16th-century carved natural stone St Christopher’s mantelpiece, crafted in Mechelen. This remarkable mantelpiece depicts St Christopher alongside the hermit St Anthony, as an enduring symbol of strength, faith and service.

More information about this image and the other images in our city can be found at KidOR, Foundation Art in Public Space.

This image is part of a walking route.