Voormalige hoofdpoort van Goedereede 1897

This photograph captures the Voormalige Hoofdpoort van Goedereede, or the former main gate of Goedereede. Taken by an anonymous photographer from Monumentenzorg, the Dutch national heritage agency, it serves as a historical record of a bygone era. The image presents the remnants of the gate, a structure that once dictated who could enter and exit, reflecting power dynamics of the time. The crumbling brickwork is a potent symbol of time's relentless march and prompts reflection on the legacies we leave behind. Who decided on its construction, and who was excluded by its presence? Consider, too, how preservation efforts intersect with questions of whose history is deemed worthy of conservation, and whose is erased? The muted tones lend a melancholic air, inviting us to contemplate the passage of time and the echoes of human activity. What stories do its stones whisper?