Lieven de Key

Lieven de Key (c. 1560 in Ghent, † July 17, 1627 in Haarlem ) was a Dutch architect. Considered together with Hendrick de Keyser (1565-1621) as the leading architect of the Golden Age. While de Keyser still maintained a more sober style, de Key preferred already baroque ornaments and embellishments in the style of the outgoing Dutch Renaissance.

De Key was born in Flame and went with Hans Vredeman de Vries in Antwerp in teaching. He was among the 15,000 Protestant emigrants who emigrated from 1584, when Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma, large parts of the southern provinces of the Netherlands reconquered for Spain and there again dominated the Catholic religion.

In 1592 he became city architect of Haarlem. Among his works in Haarlem include De Waag ( 1598 ), the facade of the town hall (1597 ), the Vleeschhal ( Market Hall ) ( 1602-1603 ), the Latin school, the Oudemannenhuis, now the Frans Hals Museum houses ( 1608) and the towers of the New Church ( 1613 ). In Leiden he created the facade of the local town hall.

Named after him is an architecture school in Haarlem.