The remains of medieval walls on Varkensstraat in Arnhem will be demolished. The wall sections from the 14th century were badly damaged in a fire in the city center in March, and trying to preserve them for their historical value would cause too much delay in the restoration works, the Arnhem office of mayor and aldermen told Omroep Gelderland.
The walls of two historical cellars were damaged to such an extent that they can no longer fulfill a structural function. It may be possible to leave them standing – an investigation is still underway – but that would mean that construction workers have to work around the walls, causing a delay of around three months.
By demolishing the walls, the work can largely be completed before the construction holidays. That is especially important for the renovations of other buildings in the area that also suffered damage. There is also still asbestos in the area that needs to be removed, and leaving the walls standing for now gets in the way of that.
A massive fire tore a large hole in the historic city center of Arnhem during the early hours of March 6. Several buildings were destroyed, and dozens of residents had to flee their homes.
Most of the affected buildings are privately owned. Arnhem spoke of “particularly large” financial consequences for the owners. The city is in consultation with the province of Gelderland about possible support.
On Tuesday, three men suspected of starting the Arnhem fire appeared in court for a pro forma hearing. All three denied involvement, blaming the other two. The court remanded them into custody until the next hearing, scheduled for August.