The Leiden Weigh House on Aalmarkt was built in 1657–1659 to weigh the bales of cloth that brought the city its wealth. The architect was Pieter Post, who also designed parts of the Mauritshuis in The Hague, and the building's restrained classicism is one of the better examples of Dutch golden-age public architecture.
The exterior reliefs by Rombout Verhulst depict scenes from the cloth trade. Inside, the original weighing machinery is no longer in place; the building today houses a café and occasional exhibitions, but the canal-side terrace is a fine spot to sit.