Nederland: bruggen en sluizen

Amersfoort is an old medieval city. Around 1300 a first city wall was constructed. When the city grew strongly in the 14th century, more land was needed and between 1380 and 1450 a wider, second city wall and city canals were built. In particular, the Langegracht (see PiP2 and 3) and the Havik (main picture and PiP1) cross the city centre. Around the Havik, the medieval harbour used to be located. The name Havik can therefore be translated as Havenwijk (Harbour area). The oldest mention is from 1390. Nowadays, it is a neighbourhood with beautiful façades and monuments. One of them is the Havikbrug , which dates from the year 1642. The bridge is popularly called Heksenbrug (Witches’Bridge). The bridge owes its name to a story that tells that at this spot, women suspected of witchcraft had to proof if they were a witch or not.

‘De Freule’ is not just one of the more than sixty bridges that cross the ‘Apeldoorns Kanaal’. It is a special bridge for two reasons: firstly it is only a pedestrian/bicycle bridge and secondly it is as a matter of fact also an art work. The 90 meter long bridge - made of iron and bronze - was designed by Tirza Verrips, an artist living in Apledoorn. It was built and opened in the year of 2000. The bridge connects the city centre of Apeldoorn with a new built neighbourhood called ‘Welgelegen’ on the eastern bank of the canal. More than 200 years ago an estate with the same name was located in that area. It was owned by the famous Dutch admiral ‘J.H. van Kinsbergen’, where he was taken care of for many years by three ‘freules’ (dames/peeress). Many years later the bridge was named after the ‘freules’.

If visiting nowadays De Rijp or nearby Graft it is almost impossible to imagine that herring, whale and merchant ships from these villages could sail directly to the sea. These nautical activities brought unprecedented prosperity to the villages. The magnificent city halls of the Rijp and Graft (PiP) and the homes of wealthy ship owners bear witness to the style and glory of the past steeped in a long tradition of whale and herring fishing. After draining of the surrounding lakes the herring industry disappeared and it was done with the wealth of the villages. The town hall of De Rijp was designed by architect-engineer Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater and is dating back to 1630 (the one in Graft is from 1613). The building survived a huge fire in 1654 that damaged most of the town. Nowadays is no longer used by the government, but there are still wedding and other official meetings. The ground floor was a weigh house, now housing the local tourist information centre. (On the foreground of the picture the so called Dambrug)

Access bridge across the inner moat to Kasteel Twickel . This bridge was built in 1709 of sandstone blockwork with two round arches. The bridge forms the connection between the moated forecourt and the moated main building. The bridge has a simple wrought-iron railing. In 1987, the last restoration of this national monument took place.

Fall along the Griendtsveencanal with the drawbridge nearby the Ericaweg, one of the four original drawbridges, dating back to 1905. More info about the bridge (Dutch): rijksmonumenten.nl/monument/523254/ophaalbrug+ericaweg/griendtsveen More info about Griendtsveen: members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/240aff

Heusden is located on the river (Bergsche) Maas. The history of the town began around the year 1200 with the establishment of an urban settlement. During the Eighty Years’ War ( Tachtigjarige Oorlog : 1568-1648) against the political and religious hegemony of of Spain, massive fortifications - with earthwork ramparts with bastions, moats and ravelins - were built on the orders of Willem van Oranje . Heusden became an important garrison town with thousands of soldiers. Towards the end of the World War II Heusden was seriously damaged. The fortress has been fully restored since 1968. The restoration of the town was based on the 17th century drawings made by the famous Amsterdam cartographer Joan Blaeu. The city harbour of Heusden was built during the construction of the fortifications after 1580. In 1904 the inner harbour was filled in to create a city park, but in the 1970’s it was restored to its original form. Nowadays it is one of the picturesque corners of Heusen with a white drawbridge and a black postmill (one of three on the ramparts).

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.

The ‘Oosterpoort’ (East Gate) is the only remaining city gate of Hoorn. The tower was built in 1578 and the gate keeper’s house on top of it was added in 1601. The gate is located at the defensive moat ‘Draafsingel’ - or better the piece called ‘Oosterpoortsgracht’ - around the then walled city, which was dug out in 1577. Originally there was a wooden bridge leading to the gate, but that was replaced in 1763 by the current stone arch bridge with iron fences Oosterpoortsbrug . In 1876 the “Oosterpoort” was restored and is now owned by ‘Vereniging Hendrick de Keyser’, an association for the preservation of historic houses in the Netherlands. Hoorn was probably founded around the year 1200 and became important as a harbour town in the 14th century. In 1356 Hororn became a chartered city and was one of the most wealthy towns along the so called ‘Zuiderzee’. In the 17th century it was one of the six cities with a chamber of the Dutch East-Indies Company VOC and a prosperous and powerful trading town. Ships from Hoorn sailed around the world. Cape Horn was named after the city when two ships were the first to sail around the southernmost tip of South America in 1616.

Marken is one of the most visited tourist sights in the Netherlands. It is a former island in the so called 'Zuiderzee'. Marken is well-known for its characteristic green coloured wooden houses, pictoresque harbour and traditional costumes. The 'Wilhelminabrug' - ca. 1850 - is one of the five wooden drawbridges in Marken and is situated in the 'Kerkbuurt' (Church Area), with the Protestant Church (1904). See for more info about Marken: members.virtualtourist.com/vt/tfr/1/312/4/1ba6f2/