Waterland

( Listen? / I ) Waterland ( West Frisian Weather Country ) is a municipality of the Dutch province of North Holland. It is named after the Waterland region, which is located north of Amsterdam.

Places in the municipality Waterland

In parentheses are the approximate number of inhabitants (as of 2007 ).

• Monnickendam, the municipal offices (10,000 )
• Broek in Waterland (2300)
• Ilpendam ( 1850)
• Katwoude (225 )
• Marks ( 1850): Grootewerf, Havenbuurt, Kerkbuurt, Moeniswerf, Rozewerf, Wittewerf
• Overleek
• Uitdam (150 )
• Water passage (425 )
• Zedde
• Zuiderwoude (250)
• Het Schouw
• Small Overleek

Location and economic

Waterland is located just north of the Dutch capital Amsterdam. The highway from there to Purmerend and Den Helder runs through the community. The nearest train stations are in the western neighboring municipality of Zaanstad. The municipality is bounded on the east by the IJsselmeer.

Main source of income is tourism: brands is even a world famous tourist destination. In Monnickendam there are also some industry, including a shipyard. The livestock industry is significant ( dairy products, edam cheese).

History

See also the article about brands and Monnickendam.

Broek in Waterland originated in the Middle Ages as a settlement in the Moor ( broek, nds. Brook, brock, high German break). It was in the 16th century already Schiffer village. The church was therefore also to St. Nicholas, patron of sailors, consecrated. In the 17th century the town became one of the first commuter villages of Western Europe. Rich shipowners and captains moved from Amsterdam to here. Between 1700 and about 1740, as a kind of Rinderpest eradicated the cattle stack, the livestock industry was of great importance because the customers in the city of Amsterdam paid good prices. Foreign visitors, among others, reported from France in the 18th century and even later by the great purity and the great wealth in Broek in Waterland. It should even have been an expression in French: Je ne suis pas de Brouck, with the meaning: I 'm not from Broek in Waterland, that is: I'm not so rich. Despite the prosperity, the houses were always built of wood. This lightweight material meant that the houses are not sinking into the soft peaty soil.

Zuiderwoude that has existed since the 11th century, known in the 17th century also through shipping and trade a short flowering time.

Katwoude was until 1991 an independent municipality, the smallest of the Netherlands.

Attractions

• See also: Brands; not known there: The lighthouse of the island (1839 built ) is worth seeing; it is inhabited, and is not visible from the inside.
• The Marina

• The whole city is full of old houses from the 16th to 19th centuries. Visitors should also pay attention to the colorful gable stones above the doors, which testify to the former residents or whose profession
• The Speeltoren ( game tower) with Carillon, the landmark of the city
• The Nikolai church, a Gothic hall church, built around 1340
• The municipal museum next to the Speeltoren
• The city scale, probably built around 1670, has previously served as Oudewater as witches scale
• The former town hall, built in 1746
• The four marinas

• The Nikolai church, built in 1628
• The picturesque village center with its many old wooden houses; some can be visited in the summer by appointment

• The water-rich moorland is a valuable natural area. In many places you can rent a canoe, or book a boat trip under the leadership in order to enjoy nature can. Many standing on the endangered species birds live here.
• The Gouwzee is a part of the municipality lake, where all kinds of water sports are possible.
• In Katwoude are some farms where it is possible for tourists to observe how Dutch cheese is made.
• Ilpendam and Water gear, both very close to Amsterdam, are elongated, picturesque villages along a canal.
• Also Zuiderwoude, near Monnickendam, has a typical Dutch village image.