Nederland: steden en dorpen

Dwarsgracht, just a hamlet nearby more well known Giethoorn in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It has canals and lots of narrow bridges; transportation is mostly by boat.

Egmond aan Zee is the best-known of the three ‘Egmond villages’: Egmond aan Zee, Egmond-Binnen, Egmond a/d Hoef. Egmond aan Zee was formed in the coastal dunes in 977. “The sea gives, the sea takes” is an old popular saying in the fishing community. During heavy storms houses often disappeared into the sea and in November 1741 the sea not only took away 36 houses, but also the church and its tower. Apart from being dangerous, the sea also provided the people of Egmond food and work, as most inhabitants of Egmond were fishermen. Quite a few sights in Egmond remind one of this; for instance, the "fishermen-houses", which are tiny houses near the sea where fishermen used to live. Since the beginning of the 20th century Egmond aan Zee has been a popular seaside resort. The village is well-known for its healthy and clear sea air. Children from big cities came to stay in one of the many “colony houses” which were sanatorium-like institutions often run by charities and churches. Egmond has a sandy beach that stretches for about three miles. The beach of Egmond is perfect for sunbathing and swimming in summer and invites you to take a stroll in spring, autumn or even winter. We visited Egmond aan Zee on a crisp winter's day with a freezing wind, snow-covered dunes and frozen seawater.

Enkhuizen is a picturesque little city, well known for its numerous historic buildings and monuments. During the 17th century it was one off the most prosperous cities in the Netherlands as a member of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie - VOC (Dutch East India Company); the largest trading company in the world. Its rich history is visible in many villas, ‘Golden Age’ buildings, city walls and gates, churches, channels, harbours. Enkhuizen was one of the harbour-towns of the VOC, from where overseas trade with the East Indies was conducted. It received city rights in 1355. In the mid-17th century the city was at the peak of its power and was one of the most important harbour cities in the Netherlands. It lost its position by the late 17th century, due to the wars with England, the silting of its waters and the rise of Amsterdam. Enkhuizen became a sleepy fishermen's town. Nowadays Enkhuizen is famous for its water sports facilities; the town has one of the largest marinas in the country. Many ships from the so called bruine vloot (brown fleet) have adopted Enkhuizen as their homeport.

Enkhuizen is a picturesque little city, well known for its numerous historic buildings and monuments. During the 17th century it was one off the most prosperous cities in the Netherlands as a member of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie - VOC (Dutch East India Company); the largest trading company in the world. Its rich history is visible in many villas, ‘Golden Age’ buildings, churches, channels, harbours and city walls. The most remarkable sight in Enkhuizen is the defense tower - known as Drommedaris (Dromedary) - at the entrance to the Old Harbour. The building - restored in 2013 - still has its 17th-century carillon. Enkhuizen was one of the harbour-towns of the VOC, from where overseas trade with the East Indies was conducted. It received city rights in 1355. In the mid-17th century the city was at the peak of its power and was one of the most important harbour cities in the Netherlands. It lost its position by the late 17th century, due to the wars with England, the silting of its waters and the rise of Amsterdam. Enkhuizen became a sleepy fishermen's town. Nowadays Enkhuizen is famous for its water sports facilities; the town has one of the largest marinas in the country. Many ships from the so called bruine vloot (brown fleet) have adopted Enkhuizen as their homeport.

The Zuiderzeemuseum , located in the historic center of Enkhuizen is a well known Dutch museum preserving the maritime history and cultural heritage from around the Zuiderzee , which became IJsselmeer , after closing the Afsluitdijk (Enclosure Dam) in 1932. The impetus for the founding of the Zuiderzeemuseum was an exhibition that was held around 1930 in Enkhuizen, where cardboard houses were displayed and costumed locals from around the Zuiderzee walked around. Due to threat of World War II the plans were put on hold. In the summer of 1949 the first exhibition - the birth of the indoor part of the museum - was set up in the Drommedaris, the 16th century defensive tower in the harbour. Due to the success of this exhibition, the Zuiderzeemuseum obtained warehouses, which once belonged to the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company). The Dutch government took over these buildings and restored them and maintains them until today. The Zuiderzeemuseum consists of two parts: an indoor- and outdoor museum. The indoor museum – opened in 1950 - contains both temporary exhibitions as well as permanent artifacts. Among them a large collection of wooden ships, paintings, furniture and traditional costumes from villages around the former Zuiderzee . The outdoor museum - opened in 1983 - is an open air museum with more than 140 authentic historic buildings, originally situated in villages around the former Zuiderzee . Most of them are the original buildings - sometimes transported in a steel frame - others are replicas. A large variety of buildings are on display: wind mill, lime kilns, fish-smoking house, steam laundry, drugstore, pharmacy, basketmaker, blacksmith, cheese warehouse, school, and hairdresser's, amongst others.

After Napoleon was defeated in 1815 Willem I became king of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (Netherlands and Belgium). High unemployment and poverty are a major problem in the new country. In the cities and rural areas, there is widespread begging: in 1818, nearly one third of the population lives from charity. The creation of the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid (Society of Benevolence) is prepared. The driving force is general Johannes van den Bosch; other promoters are high officials and the noble elite of the country. Thousands of people across the country and the government itself contribute. The central idea is: we will pay for land and housing; the poor will work to provide for their own maintenance. Eventually the poor would be able to repay their debt to the state, thanks to (agricultural) surpluses. First, the trial colony Frederiksoord is established. By the end of 1818, 52 little colony houses are ready to receive the poor townspeople. Here they can count on work and shelter. Children are forced to attend school and there is a private health insurance fund. Churches, shops, schools and even rest homes were built. With these social facilities, the Maatschappij van Weldadigheid is 80 years ahead of the rest of the Netherlands and is therefore considered the cradle of the Dutch welfare state. In addition to an interesting museum - focusing on the history of the colony - Frederiksoord still offers about 50 original buildings from the time of the colony's foundation. Since 26th of July 2021 Frederiksoord is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Stadshaven (City Harbour) is the former port of Goes, a city in the Dutch province of Zeeland, which was founded in the 10th century. The harbour is located in the town center and is connected to the Oosterschelde by the ‘Goese Sas’. The quay walls of the city harbour are a national monument. The streets around the ‘Stadshaven’ (Kleine Kade, Turfkade and Bierkade) are lined with historic homes. The names of these streets refer to the historical significance of some products that were of great importance for the local economy: beer (= bier) and peat (=turf). Nowadays the City Harbour of Goes focuses on yachts; the modern marina has seventy moorings.

We visited the city of Groningen in a weekend before Christmas and came across an atmospheric event WinterWelVaart (WinterWealth). Along the Hoge and Lage der A - cobblestoned quays with beautiful century old houses and (former) warehouses - about twenty of mainly historic (charter) ships were moored. On these ships several different cultural events were featured, such as intimate concerts, special children’s activities and art exhibitions. On the quays were a Christmas Market and an art route. WinterWelVaart can be seen as a tribute to the special and historic relationship between Groningen and the shipping trade.

The Elisabeth Gasthuishuisjes were built between 1608 and 1612 by order of the owners of the St. Elisabeth or Great Hospital, which is (or better was) located around the corner. Older people with some savings could register as a so-called provenier . This meant that they could buy a one-off lump sum and have accommodation and care until the end of their lives; a more commercial set-up than the traditional Dutch hofjes . After the great fire of 1576, the Elisabeth Hospital was built on a former convent site. Building rental houses was a common form of money investment in the 17th century. Originally, there were twenty identical houses, making the complex one of the earliest examples of serial construction on a large scale. In 1906, eight cottages were demolished. The remaining twelve - together with the former old men's home and later orphanage (now the Frans Hals Museum) across the street - form a unique street scene. Due to an extensive renovation in 1931, the historical layout of the houses was lost. The fronts with the stepped gables were preserved. In 1974-1975, the complex was restored again and since then the Elisabeth Gasthuishuisjes have again been used for housing.

In 1565 the city council of Harlingen received permission from Philips II to expand the city on the north side. This mainly concerned the widening of the northern canal to Noorderhaven (Northern Harbour) and the planned neighbourhood to the north of it. These activities were completed in the years 1579-1580 and Harlingen had approximately tripled in size. This tidal port accommodated many vessels that came from the Frisian hinterland and was connected to the sea. The port became a popular place to live for wealthy citizens and still has many monumental houses today. Warehouses were also built along the water. Some names of the warehouses recall the destinations of the merchants, such as Poland, Russia, Java, and Sumatra. In 1730, town architect H.J. Norel started with the construction of the new town hall , which is also located along the Noorderhaven .

The Sylhús is a lockkeeper's house built in the 17th century. A striking wooden bell tower with a spire has been placed on top of the building. The building also served as a fish auction. The Zeesluis - still hand-operated - is the link for pleasure boats between the centre of Hindeloopen and the harbour on the IJsselmeer. There is a wooden drawbridge across the lock.

Hoog Soeren: quiet village during ( ↑ ) and before ( ↓ ) the corona crisis. Even before the beginning of our era, Germanic tribes had settlements in the area where the village of Hoog Soeren is situated. The early 20th century excavated urns from burial mounds are reminders of this. Hoog Soeren is one of the oldest settlements in the Veluwe and originated on high dry parts of the Veluwe. The proximity of some fens made an existence here possible. Early 9th century the village was mentioned as Suornom or Suornum. It had several other names before the village became in the mid 19th century its current name. This may be derived from the Old Saxon “sôr”, which means “arid” or “dry”. Not strange as Hoog Soeren is located on a height of 85 meters, a high and dry part of the Veluwe, the largest nature area in the Netherlands. Hoog Soeren is surrounded by the woods of the Kroondomein Het Loo (Het Loo Royal Estate) and is a protected village area. It has only three paved roads with a name, all other houses along dirt roads have as address the name of the village with a number. Until the end of the 19th century, Hoog Soeren was an agricultural community, which developed into a settlement for forest workers, foresters and gamekeepers. In the 1930’s many local people had to sell their farm and land. From that period on, a village with civilian houses gradually came into being and became a popular settlement for wealthy people from the western part of the country. A number of farms were transformed into residential houses, but many new houses were built as well. In the first half of the 19th century the area also became a tourist attraction - with some hotels and guesthouses - and an attractive place to live and stay for wealthy people. Nowadays Hoog Soeren has about 250 permanent inhabitants, living in 100 houses. It has no school either a shop, but a lovely little village church, which was built in 1904.

Kolhorn - picturesquely located behind a dike - is surrounded by a sea of green meadows. It is hard to imagine that the village was once a fishing village beside the (former) Zuiderzee. The village of “Colhorn”, as it was called in 1573, was located on the Zuiderzee until 1844. Due to the creation of some polders it now lies at the heart of the West-Frisian landscape and about 20 kilometers inland. Kolhorn is mentioned for the first time in 1288. But probably it refers to the mooring place, a small harbour which was so called at the location where later the village arose. The first mention as a village is in 1518 when it is called “Kolhoiren”, although the church bell in the belfry dates back to 1418 and may indicate that the village has existed at least since then. Kolhorn nowadays is a Dutch protected village-scape.

As early as 1289, Medemblik received its city rights and the end of the 16th century it has its own harbours. Four of them are located near the city centre. The Pekelharinghaven (Salt Herring harbour) is the largest and is situated adjacent to the Radboud Castle ( www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/48611904 ). The name refers to the old harbour that was in use during the 17th and 18th centuries. After the harbour had silted up, the location was used as a sports field for many years. Until 1988 when the construction of a new marina was started, which was inaugurated in 1989. Nowadays the harbour has a total of 220 berths for yachts up to 15 meters.

Middelburg, capital of the province of Zeeland, was one of the three fortified towns on the former island Walcheren. It is dating back to the 9th century and still steeped in culture and historic allure. Middelburg took advantage of its proximity to the sea and became - after Amsterdam - the second most important trading center in the Dutch Republic during the Golden Age. The 'Kuiperspoort' - hidden gem in the center of the city - is named after the 'Kuipersgilde' (Coopers' Guild), who resided there in the 17th century. This alley is one of the most charming places in Middelburg. The alleyway shows traditional brick warehouses, step-gabled roofs and beautiful restored buildings dating to the 16th century. Its close proximity to the harbour was convenient during the Golden Age, when the barrels that were made there had to be rolled toward the ships. The narrow path in the middle of the cobblestoned street still can be seen.

Ootmarsum has a long history. Around 770 one of the first churches in the region Twente was built here and in the year of 1000 Ootmarsum was one of the largest parishes. Ootmarsum received city rights in 1325. The town was then converted into a fortress with ditches and earthworks. In the 16th century Ootmarsum was occupied by the Spanish during the Eighty Years War, but in 1597 was captured by Maurits, Prince of Orange. Nowadays it is a popular tourist destination; well known for its meandering streets and narrow alleyways lined with historical buildings like the H.H. Simon en Judaskerk and former town hall . Nowadays the center of Ootmarsum offers lifestyle shops and a lot of galleries. Ootmarsum was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Dinkelland.

The village of Orvelte probably originated between the 11th and 13th century. In a charter from 1362 the village is referred to as “Oervelde”. This oldest notation indicates the origin of the place name: the village Over het veld (Across the field). The village with its cobbled streets is made up of a collection of thatched Saxon farmhouses and other heritage buildings. The oldest farm in Central Drenthe - built between 1560 and 1650 - is also located in Orvelte after a relocation. The car-free village still exudes the atmosphere of a 19th century village in Drenthe. In 1967 Orvelte received the status of protected village-scape. Nowadays Orvelte presents itself as a monument village. In addition to the normal daily activity and residential function, many of the farms are equipped to display old crafts and are used by shops, which mainly sell nostalgic and/or vintage items. There are also several small museums; one shows the period rooms of the family who lived there in the 19th century.

In the middle of the 16th century the first inhabitants are mentioned on the site of today's Oudeschans. In those days a zijl (lock opening to the sea) was built in the river Westerwoldse Aa, on a strategic position close to a bay of the Wadden Sea. In the year of 1593 - during the Eighty Years’ War, or Dutch War of Independence (1566–1648) - Count Willem Lodewijk van Nassau-Dillenburg built a fortress around the lock, where he moored his 150 ships and had 2.200 troops disembark. The fortress played an important role in the battle of the Dutch troops against the Spanish authority. The fortification was initially named Bellingwolderschans (Sconce of Bellingwolde). It was renamed Oudeschans (Old Sconce), after the fortification of Nieuweschans was built in 1628. As a result of reclamation and the relocation of the river, the fortress became less important in the middle of the 17th century. In the 18th century the sconce was neglected and disbanded in 1814. At the end of the 20th century, the remains of the sconce were made more clearly recognizable, reinforcing the character of the old fortress of Oudeschans. Nowadays Oudeschans is a quiet village with just more than hundred inhabitants. In 1991 the walls, canal, bastions, and several other buildings became state protected monuments. The Garrison Church was built in 1626, near the harbour, nowadays a lawn with trees (main image). In 1772 the church was moved and a presbytery was built against it on the north side. A small museum in the village reminds of the military past.