Nederlandse Vestingsteden

Transcription

Nederlandse
Vestingsteden
English
Amersfoort
Bergen op Zoom
Brielle
Geertruidenberg
Gorinchem
Grave
Groenlo
Hellevoetsluis
‘s-Hertogenbosch
Hulst
Naarden
Ravenstein
Megen
Weesp
Willemstad
Woudrichem
Zaltbommel
AN OVERVIEW
1213
Geertruidenbergisgrantedthestatusoftown,makingittheoldestinHolland.
1296
MurderofCountFlorisnearthetownofNaarden.
1349
‘HoekseenKabeljouwse’(HooksandCodDispute)breaksout,ending1433.
1493
PhilipdeSchone(PhiliptheHandsome)takescontroloftheprovincesoftheNetherlands.
1555
CharlesVrenouncesthethrone;PhilipIItakescontroloftheNetherlands.
1559
WilliamofOrangegainsgovernorshipoftheprovincesHolland,ZeelandandUtrecht.
1566
IconoclasticOutbreak–churchinteriorsdestroyed,thebeginningoftheDutchRevolt.
1567
AfuriousPhilipIIsendstheDukeofAlva(the‘IronDuke’)topunishtheDutch.
1568
StartoftheEightyYearsWar.
1572
TheWaterguezen(‘SeaBeggars’)seizeDenBriel“inthenameofOrange”.
1584
WilliamofOrangemurderedbyBalthazarGerards.
1585
WilliamofOrange’ssonMauricebecomesstadholder(governor).
1600
MauricewinstheBattleofNiewpoort(Belgium).
1625
MauricediesandissucceededasstadholderbyhisbrotherFrederikHendrik.
1647
WilliamIIsucceedsFrederikHendrikasstadholder
1648
TreatyofMunstersignedendingtheEightyYears’War.
1672
YearofdisasterfortheNetherlands;atwarwithFrance,England,MunsterandCologne.
1672
WilliamIIIisappointedstadholder.
1747
WilliamIVbecomesstadholder.
1766
WilliamVcomestopower.
1789
TheFrenchRevolution;endofthe‘ancienrégime’.
1795
TheNetherlandsoccupiedbytheFrenchwhorenameittheBatavianRepublic.
1804
NapoleonBonaparteassertsclaimtobeEmperorofFrance.
1806
NapoleonBonaparte’sbrother,Louis,appointedKingoftheNetherlands.
1813
NapoleonlosescontroloftheNetherlands;WilliamVIbecomesKingWilliamI.
1814
ThenorthernandsouthernNetherlandsbecomeonestatewithWilliamIasking.
1830
TheNationalCongressofBrusselsdeclaresindependenceforBelgium.
1874
TheVestingwet(FortificationAct)statesthatvesting(fortified)townsshouldbedismantled.
www.vestingsteden.nl
WELCOME
Vestingtownswereoriginallyfortifiedtowns,encircledbyprotectivewallsandrampartsandothersortsofdefensivesystems.
Theyweredesignedtoprotecttheinhabitantsfromoutsideattack.Throughoutthecenturies,theNetherlandshassuffered
numerousinvasions.Theseunwantedthreatsanddominationbyothershasleftanindeliblemarkonourcountry,particularly
inthetownsthatplayedanimportantroleinprotectingtherestofthecountry-theso-calledDutchVestingTowns.
Thedaysofclosedtowngatesor‘ports’arefarbehindus,asisthesmellofgunpowdersmokefromthebattlefield,which
meansthatnowadayswecanenjoythecharmandbeautyofthoselovelyoldfortifiedtowns,exploringtheirprotectivewalls
andramparts.Eachtownhasitsownstorytotell,creatingitsownparticularatmosphereforyourenjoyment.Youcanalmost
relivehistoryinsomecornerswhileinsightoftherampartsandwallsintheirfullmedievalglory.
Theyarereallyworthavisit,allowingyoutoexperiencealittlebitofDutchhistory.TheentrancestotheDutchvestingtowns
welcomeyouwithwideopendoors.ThepastreallycomestolifeduringtheDutchVestingTownOpenDays.Thiseventtakes
placeeachyearinadifferentvestingtownwhichtakesonadazzling,festivalambienceandwhereyouwillfindhistorical
costumesandmockbattlesactedoutintheatmosphereofdaysgoneby.
WouldyouliketoknowwhereDutchVestingTownOpenDaysaretakingplacethisyear?Visitwww.vestingsteden.nlor
contacttheSecretary’sOfficeoftheVerenigingNederlandseVestingsteden.
Wehopetoseeyouthere!
Some ‘vesting’
terminology
Colofon
ThisbrochureispublishedbytheVerenigingNederlandseVestingsteden
Postbus101-3230ACBrielle
Tel:+31(0)181475479-Fax:+31(0)181418118
Officeopentothepublic:Markt1-3231AHBrielle
Contents:DutchVestingTowns-BrabantTouristOffice
Photography:MaartenGielis©NVS
Layoutanddesign:www.duodecimo.nu
Theauthorsofthisbrochurewillnotbeheldliableforinaccuracies
and/orincompletenessoftheinformationcontainedherein.
BASTION
pentagonal(five-sided)brickor
earthenextensiontoaprotective
wallorrampart
DAM
adamorweirmadeofbrickin
themaincanalbetweentheinner
andouterwaterways
INUNDATION
floodingwithwaterfordefensive
purposes
BUNKER
asmallindependentdefencepost
equippedwithcannon
MONK
abrickorstoneobstacleona
buttress
RAVELIN
defensiveislandbastioninthemain
canal
COURTINE
partofthemainwallstretching
betweentwobastions
AMERSFOORT
History
Amersfoort.Picturesquecanals
andhousesandastreetlayout
thathasremainedthesamefor
centuries.Thehistorictown
centreofAmersfoortisexceptionallywellpreserved.Oldand
newcometogetherinaunique
wayinamodern-daysetting.
Amersfoort’shistoryasa
fortifiedtownwasanimportant
sourceofinspirationduring
thedevelopmentofthenew
outersuburbofKattenbroek,
ascanbeseeninbuildings
suchastheCastellum,Donjon,
RavelijnandBolwerk.
ThesettlementthatwentontobecomethetownofAmersfoortgrewuponan
areaofhighergroundsurroundedbylower-lyingland.Streamsfromthesouth
and east converged here to become the RiverAmer (Eem) which then flowed
intotheZuiderzee.Itwasessentiallythepossibilityofcrossingthewateratthis
pointthatledtotheestablishmentofthesettlement,andthenameofthetown
stillrecallsthisaspectofitshistory,becauseAmersfoortmeansafordoraplace
whereitwaspossibletowadeacrosstheRiverAmer(Eem).
ItwasherethatthetraderoutesfromDeventerandKampentoUtrechtcrossed
the streams of the GelderValley. Consequently, the site became a magnet for
merchantsandcraftsmen.Thesettlementbecameatownwhichby1259waslarge
enoughtobegranteditsowncharterbytheBishopofUtrecht.Aroundtheyear
1300,thepeoplestartedbuildingthefirsttownwall.Virtuallythewholeofthe
moat,dugimmediatelybehindthetownwall,isstillintact.
Inthe14thcentury,Amersfoortwentthroughaperiodofgrowthandprosperity.
Asthetownbecamearegionalcentreandthepopulationincreasedinsize,the
towncouncildecidedtobuildasecond,farlargertownwall.Thepeoplepulled
downtheoldstructureandusedthestonestobuildtheMuurhuizen–or‘wall
houses’–thefacadesofwhichwereerectedonthefoundationsoftheoriginal
wall.Sothelineofthefirsttownwallcanstillbeseeninthestreetlayouttothis
day.Work started on the construction of the Koppelpoort and Monnikendam
watergatesin1425.
Inthe16thcentury,relativelylittlenewdevelopmenttookplaceinAmersfoort.
Theexistingfortificationsweremodernisedtowardstheendofthe16thcentury
ontheadviceofAdriaenvanAlckmaar,anexpertondefensivestructures.The
doublemoatwaslargelyreplacedbyasinglewidemoat;rampartsandbastions
werealsoconstructed.Duringthecourseofthe17thand18thcenturies,thetown
wallfellintoastateofdisrepairand,atthebeginningofthe19thcentury,active
stepsweretakentodemolishit.In1822,themunicipalexecutivedecidedtoplant
publicgardensonwhatremainedofthetownwall.TheMonnikendamwatergate
was tastefully incorporated into the attractive layout. Part of the second town
wall–thesectionbetweenKampandAchterdeKamp–wasreconstructedin
the20thcentury.
THE CITY OF WALL HOUSES
Places worth seeing
Koppelpoort (1425).This combined water and land gate was part of the
second wall built around the town. The original hoist mechanism, which
movesthebulkheadtoclosetheopeningabovethewater,isstillinworking
order.Visitorscantrytheirhandatoperatingthegateduringtours.
Muurhuizen,whichliterallymeansastreetof‘wallhouses’,followsthelineof
theoriginaltownwall.Thewallhouseswererepeatedlyaltered,pulleddown
andrebuiltovertheyears,resultinginanarchitecturalpotpourri.Partsof
theDieventoren(Plomptoren),Tinnenburgandthebuildingthatnowhouses
theMusicSchooldatebacktotheMiddleAges,whiletheSecretarishuisje
isacombinationofseveraldifferentarchitecturalstylesintroducedoverthe
years.
Mannenzaal and chapel (14th century):TheMannenzaalorMen’sHospiceis
theonlyoriginalhospicestillstandingintheNetherlands.Itwasbuiltin1530
andwasalargehallwheremencouldreceiveboardandlodgingfortherest
oftheirdaysiftheyagreedtogiveupalltheirpossessions.Inthemonthsof
JulyandAugust,historyisbroughttolifebyactorswhoplaytheinhabitants
ofthehospice,recreatingscenesfromdailylifein1907.
Sint Joriskerk (13th century):TheSintJoriskerkissituatedontheHof–the
original town square.The church has a complex architectural history that
stretchesbackover300years.Tourscanbeorganised.
Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (late 15th century): One of the most beautiful
GothictowersintheNetherlands.FromApriltoOctober,itispossibleto
climbtothetopofthetowerwhichrisestoaheightofalmost100metres.
AsofJuly2007,avideopresentationontheculturalhistoryofAmersfoort
willbeshownonthegroundfloorlevelofthetower.
Round trip through the canals and guided tours:Stepintooneoftheopen
boats of the StichtingWaterlijn and enjoy a mini-cruise along the town’s
canals.Theexperiencedguidesof’tGildeAmersfoortorganiseanumberof
guidedtoursthroughthetown.
For further information:
VVV Amersfoort
Stationsplein 9-11
T: 0900-112 2364
F: +31 (0)30-236 0051
E: [email protected]
I: www.vvvamersfoort.nl
BERGEN OP ZOOM
History
BergenopZoomisatypical
Brabanttown.Becauseofits
locationontheriverSchelde,
BergenopZoombecamea
prosperoustradingcentrein
theMiddleAges.In1533,the
townwithitssurroundingland
waselevatedtothestatusof
marquisate.Theaffluenceand
wealthoftheMarquises,as
wellasevidenceofthemany
siegesandbattles,arebrought
backtolifeinthemany
monumentsinthetown.The
historicbuildingsandhouses
promisetomakeanyvisita
uniquelyimpressiveoccasion.
Duringthe13thcentury,BergenopZoomgrewtobecome
apropertown,andaround1330,aprotectivewallwas
builtaroundit.WiththeoutbreakoftheEightyYears’
Waritwasdecidedtoextendandstrengthentheborders
ofthetown,particularlyasithadbecomestrategically
important as the‘Key to Zeeland’.This meant that if
Bergen op Zoom should fall, then Zeeland would be
vulnerable to Spanish invasion and conquest. For this
reason the Zeeland‘States’ garrisoned extra troops in
thetown.Therearestillrelicstobefoundbearingwitness
tothelongsieges,includingthesiegebyVanParmain
1588andtheSpinolasiegein1622.
WhentheEightyYears’Warfinallyended,littlewasdone
tokeepupthemaintenanceofthefortificationsaround
thetown.Consequently,theFrencharmyhadverylittle
difficulty in bringing the town to its knees in 1672.
MennovanCoehoornwasgiventheordertostrengthen
thetown’sdefencesafterthetownwastakenbackby
theHollanders.Whentheworkwascompleted,people
considered the town to be impregnable and called it
‘La Pucelle’ (theVirgin). Sadly, this was not to be the
reality.In1747theFrenchseizedBergenopZoomafter
bombardment.ThearrivaloftheFrenchrevolutionary
troopsmarkedtheendofalongperiodofrulebytheMarquiseswhohadbeen
themostprominentrulersovertheSouthernNetherlandssincethe15thcentury.
Theoccupationlastedfrom1795until1814.BergenopZoomresumeditsfunction
asabordertownin1830whenitbrokeawayfromBelgium.
THE VIRGINAL VESTING
Places worth seeing
The Markiezenhof,housingthemuseum,istheformerpalaceofthenobles
and marquises of Bergen op Zoom. During the summer the palace is
undoubtedlyoneofthelivelierplacesintownwhereperformances,book
marketsandopen-airproductionsarestaged.
The Lievevrouwpoort,beingtheoldestmonumentinthetownanddating
fromthe14thcentury,isoneofthefewremainingexamplesofthetown
gatesor‘ports’thatwerecommonlyusedinmedievaltimesinDutchtowns.
ItisprobablethattheSint Gertrudiskerklocatedinthetowncentrewas
originallyaverysimplechurchbuilding.Thoughitwasrepeatedlyextended
andembellisheduntilaroundtheendofthe15thcentury.In1747,itwas
almostdestroyedbytheFrench.Fortunately,thetower,knownasthe
‘Peperbus’(peppermill),managedtosurviveddestruction,sothattodayyou
can still climb up to the top and enjoy a panoramic view of Bergen op
Zoom.
The Ravelin Op Den Zoomisoneofthefewremnantsofthefortification
systemthatencircledthetownuntilaroundtheendofthe19thcentury.
ThefrontdooroftheStadhuis (Town Hall)isnotpositionedinthecentre
atthefrontofthebuilding.Thisisbecausethepresenttownhallismade
upofanassortmentofbuildings.Themottowritteningold“MillePericulis
Supersum”(AthousandperilswillIsurvive)isareminderoftheroleBergen
opZoomplayedduringtheEightyYears’War.
VVV Brabantse Wal
Kortemeestraat 19
4611 TL Bergen op Zoom
T: 0031 (0)164 277482
F: 0031 (0)164 240176
I: www.vvvbrabantsewal.nl
BRIELLE
History
“Alva lost his spectacles on 1st
April in Brielle” -oneofthe
mostremarkableincidentsin
thehistoryofthecountry
issummedupinthissimple
saying.ThefierceWatergeuzen
(SeaBeggars)endedthe
occupationofBriellebythe
hatedSpanishgovernorAlva,
therebypavingthewayfor
settingupanindependent
KingdomoftheNetherlands.
Inherrichhistory,Briellehas
hostedkingsandhasbeenthe
birthplaceofinvinciblesea
admiralsaswellaswritersand
poets.
Brielle, also known as Den Briel, has for centuries featured
insayingsintheDutchlanguage,themostfamousofwhich
isperhaps:”Op1aprilverloorAlvazijnbril”(Alvalosthis
spectacleson1stApril). On1stApril1572theSeaBeggarsappearedinfrontoftheNoordpoort(NorthGate)ofDenBriel
demandingthatthissmallbutstrategicallyimportantharbour
townbehandedover.Atthattime,thepeopleofDenBriel
hadstillnotyetjoinedintherevoltagainsttheKingofSpain
andhisenvoy,theDukeofAlva.Afterthecrywentup“Inthe
nameofOrange,openthegate!”,theSeaBeggarsforcedtheir
wayintothetownandAlvalostDenBriel(‘bril’istheDutch
wordforspectacles,andispronouncedthesameasBriel).
ThiswastobethefirsttimethattheSpanishlostcontrolover
atownintheNetherlands.BriellewasimportantfortheSea
Beggarsbecauseithad,bymedievalstandards,arelativelylargeharbour.Lyingon
theriverMaas,Briellewasagoodtrans-shipmentharbourforboatsontheirway
toZeeland,RotterdamandDordrecht.Fishingandtradingboatssailedtovarious
Europeancountriesfromthere.BriellehadanagreementwiththeHansatowns,
andinSweden,tradersfromBrielleevensetuptheirowntradingposts.
AftertheSeaBeggarshadtakenoverBrielle,theystartedreplacingthemedieval
city walls with more modern fortifications designed by the famous architects,
WilliamPaenandMennovanCoehoorn.Thenewfortificationswerecompletedin
1713.Littlehaschangedinthetownsincethen,andthefortificationsformoneof
themostimportantandcompletelandandwaterfortificationsystemsremaining
intheNetherlands.
ALVA LOST HIS SPECTACLES ON 1ST APRIL IN BRIELLE
Places worth seeing
Wellerondomisatypicalmedievalsquarewherefivestreetsmeetandissituated
intheoldtowncentre.Inthemiddleofthesquareisawaterpumpdating
from1590whichremainsafavouritemeetingplacetothisday.
The Sint Catharijnekerk church is located in the town centre in the Sint
Catharijnehof.The church dates from the prosperous period around 1417
whenthefirststonewaslaid.ThetoweroftheBriellecathedralareregarded
asbeaconsforthewholeregionandcanbeseenfromafar.
The Historisch Museum Den Briel (Historical Museum) is located in the
17th-century former town prison called theWaaggebouw (Weigh House).
ThisiswhereyouwilldiscovermuchaboutthehistoryofBrielle.Youwill
alsobefascinatedbystoriesfromtheseafaringlifeofAdmiralTrompwho
wasborninBriellein1598.
The Provoost,builtin1668asamilitaryprison.
The medieval Town Halldatesfromthe14thcentury,althoughthebeautiful
steppedgabledatesfrom1792.
The Arsenaldatesfrom1708and,asitsnamesuggests,wasoriginallywhere
munitionswerestored,thoughnowadaysitservesasalibrary.TheInfirmerie
islocatednextdoor,beingthemilitaryhospitalofdaysgoneby.
Everyyearon1stApril,the ‘1 April event’takesplace.ThepeopleofBrielle
annually celebrate the liberation of their town from the Duke ofAlva by
theSeaBeggars.Theinhabitantsdressupintraditionalcostumesandengage
inallsortsofactivities,includingtheperformanceofanhistoricalopen-air
play.
MarchalsoattractsdevoteestotheSt Matthew Passion:eachyearthisBach
masterpieceisperformedintheSintCatherijnekerkchurchinBrielle.
Octoberisalwaysconsideredtobethemonth of the arts and culture,with
exhibitions, music, song, dance and theatre all being performed at special
locations,makingthisamonthofculturaldiscoveryagainstthebackdropof
thishistoricaltown.
Stichting Regio VVV
Zuid-Hollandse eilanden
Kantoor Brielle
Turfkade 18
3231 AR Brielle
T: +31 (0)181 411 586
I: www.zuid-hollandse-eilanden.nl
GEERTRUIDENBERG
History
Whenyoutakeawalk
throughGeertruidenberg,you
willseeDutchhouseswith
Brabantoccupants.Thehistorical
marketwithitsbeautifullisted
buildingsisareminderofthe
earliertradingactivitiesof
thisvestingtownwhichonce
belongedtotheCountsof
Hollandbutnowformspart
ofNorthBrabant.Tothisday
theGeertruidenbergcoat
ofarmsreferstoitsDutch
period:alionrampantwitha
curvedspearinitsclaws,set
againstthetypicalGardenof
Hollandbackground.
Thename‘SintGeertruidenberg’wasfirstusedinthecityby-lawsof1213.Inolder
acts–datingfrom967–thesettlementwasappropriatelynamed‘Bergaande
oever’(Mountainnearthebanks).Accordingtolegend,SaintGertrudisfounded
asmallchurchonthisraisedlocationasearlyastheyear645.
In1213,whenCountWillemIgrantedGeertruidenbergacharter,itbecamethe
firstcityoftheCountyofHolland.Thecurrentreferenceto‘Hollandsoudstestad’
(theoldestcityofHolland)isbasedonthisevent.In1319,thetownwaswalled
withroundelsandgates.Itbecameanimportanttradingcentre,wherecounts,the
nobilityandrepresentativesofothercitiesgatheredtopromotetheirinterests.In
1421,theSt.Elisabethvloed,causedbyanenormoushurricane,endedthishalcyon
period.TheBiesboschcameintobeingasaresultofthisnaturaldisaster.
Asofthistime,Geertruidenberg,locatedalongtheimportantcourseofnavigation
intheborderregionbetweenHollandandBrabant,wasofsignificantimportance
asafortifiedbordercity.Thisalsoexplainswhyitwasreferredtoas‘DeSleutelvan
Holland’(TheKeytoHolland).Constantbattleswerewagedforthedominanceof
thecity.AfterthearmytroopsoftheStatesGeneralseizedthecity,PrinceWillem
vanOranjeorderedthegradualreplacementofthecitywallbyfortifications,work
thatcontinuedthroughthe16thcentury.IntheEightyYears’War,thearmiesof
theStatesGeneralandofSpaindisputedtheterritory.Atlonglast,theSpaniards
boughtGeertruidenbergforalargesumofmoneyfromthemutinyingEnglish
garrisonin1589.Fouryearslater,in1893,PrinceMauritscleverlyregainedthecity
andoustedtheSpaniards.Itwasnotuntil1813andtheunificationoftheUnited
KingdomoftheNetherlandsthatGeertruidenbergwasfinallyaddedtoBrabant.
HOLLANDS OLDEST TOWN
Places worth seeing
To the north and west, the fortifications are still completely intact. The
footpaththroughGeertruidenberg,indicatedbysignposts,leadsalongthese
defences.
TheGeertruidskerk(churchofGeertruidenberg),whichwaslargelybuiltin
the15thcentury,includestheremnantsoftheoriginalchurchfromthe14th
century.Towardstheendofthe20thcentury, thechurchwascompletely
renovated.Themagnificentinterioriswellworthavisit.Thechurchisopen
to the public during the summer. Climbing the tower is an event which
canbebookedattheVVVGeertruidenberg(TouristInformationOfficeof
Geertruidenberg).
Behind a charming 17th-century stepped gable on the market square,
youwillfindtheMuseum De Roos.Here,manyaspectsofthehistoryof
Geertruidenbergareexplainedanddocumented.
DeBergsche Batteryisanhistoricalassociationwhosemembersdressupin
traditionaluniformswithcannonsandmusketstore-enactbattlesfromthe
late16thcentury.Duringthesummer,thepubliccanwatchtheseskirmishes
fromcloseuponthearmyparadegroundneartheCommandeursbolwerk.
Informertimes,the Hoofdwachtservedasthegatekeeper’slodgeforthe
Arsenaal, the 18th-century building to the rear.The hard-stone entrance
section of the Arsenaal is lavishly decorated with sculptured armorial
bearingsandwartrophies.TheentranceandfrontwindowsoftheMarktkazerne
aredesignedwithcharacteristicroundedarches.
Themoststrikingplaceofinterestandcentreofthecityisthepear-shaped
Markt.The charming appearance of the square is partially based on the
doublerowof200-year-oldlimetreesandseveral18th-centurypumps.
VVV-agentschap Geertruidenberg
Markt 46
Postbus 108
4930 AC Geertruidenberg
T: +31 (0)162 517 689
F: +31 (0) 162 517 689
I: www.geertruidenbergdigitaal.nl
GORINCHEM
History
Gorinchem,knownlocallyas
Gorcum,hasbeenstrategically
situatedontheriverMerwede
sinceearlytimes.Togetherwith
SlotLoevesteinandWoudrichem,
itformedaneffective,protective
triangle.Theriveralsoensured
industriousnessandprosperity.
Gorichemwasonceimportant
forfishing,livestockand
trading.Somestreetnamesin
theoldcentreareareminder
ofthetradescarriedoutbythe
inhabi-tantsandoftheactivities
thattookplacethere.
ThemottoofGorinchemis:“Fortescreanturfortibus”
(Thestrongcreatethestrong).Thismottowastaken
fromtheheraldicdeviceoftheHerenvanArkel
(KnightsofArkel)whoruledherefromthe13th
centuryuntil1412.Thestorygoesthatthesettlement
came into being on higher ground around the
year1000.Thesettlementwassituatedonapiece
of land near the mouth of the rivers Linge and
Merwede.Farmersandfisherfolkwerethefirstto
settlehere.
During the Middle Ages, the inhabitants were
regularly threatened by floods and infectious
diseases,aswellasbytheirneighboursinthestates
ofHollandandGelre.Towardstheendofthe13th
century, the settlement was fortified.This fortificationworkincludedstrengtheningtheramparts
withstockadesandformingabarrierofoutwardpointingstakes.Inthe14thcentury,therampartswereimprovedbytheaddition
ofstonewallsandtowers.However,thisstillcouldnotpreventitsincorporation
intoHollandin1417.ItwasduringthisperiodthattheArkellineagefinallydied
out.AfterannexationbyHolland,Gorinchemgrewtobetheeighth-largesttown
inHolland.
Inthe16thcentury,thetownwallswerereplacedwithnewerfortifications,resulting
inawalloffortificationwithelevenbastions.Thenewwallsenclosedanareatwice
asbigasthepreviousoneandatotaloffourgates(or‘ports’)werebuilt.Evidence
ofthesegatescanbefoundintheremainingDalempoort.
VESTING TOWN ON THE RIVER
Places worth seeing
Theoldtownhallbuiltin1860nowhousestheGorcums Museum,where
paintings,sketches,utensils,silverwareandreplicasareondisplay.
TheGrote Kerk met Sint Janstoren churchwasbuiltin1850,althoughthe
towerismucholderthanthechurchitself.Theviewfromthetopofthe
churchtowerisworththeclimb.
The Dalempoort is the only remaining town gate dating back to 1597.
Earlier,thisgatewasusedwhentravellingeastwardsawayfromthetown.
TheweathervaneontopoftheturretdisplaystheDutchlion.Nowadays
theDalempoortservesasadwellinghouse.
‘Dit is Betlehem’ (This is Bethlehem)isthenameofaveryspecialhouse
situatedintheoldcentreanddatingfrom1566.Upstairs,thereareanumber
ofcircularwindowscalled‘oxeneyes’,whicharedesignedtoallowinmore
daylight.Youcanalsoseelittledevilssituatedalongtheguttering,which
wereplacedtheretofrightenoffevilspirits.
ThetowerwindmillnamedDe Hoop(i.e.‘Hope’)datesfrom1764andwas
restoredin1995.Itispossibleforvisitorstowatchthegrainbeingmade
intoflourhere.
Lingehavenisthenameoftheveryattractivemarinarightinthecentreof
town.Thisharbourcanaccommodateupto100pleasurecraftatanyone
time.ItisalsopossibletomakeatripalongtheLingeriver.
DuringAugusteachyearthesummer festivalisheldintheGroteMarktin
theoldtowncentre.Combinedwiththeattractionsofthehistoricvesting
town,thisfestivalisamust!
VVV Zuid-Holland Zuid
Kantoor Gorinchem
Grote Markt 17
4201 EB Gorinchem
T: +31 (0)183 631 525
F: +31 (0)183 634 040
I: www.vvvgorinchem.nl
GRAVE
History
Walkingthroughitsnarrow
alleywaysandopenings,you
canfeeltheintimateand
historicalcharmofthistown
ontheMaas.Theexceptional
architectureofthetown
centrefitsinwellwiththe
historicalsurroundings,giving
thetownitsspecialcharacter.
Astrikingexampleisthe
Infirmerie,ahousingproject
of31dwellingsdesignedby
theAnglo-Swedisharchitect
RalphErskine.Theatmosphere
createdisoneofanearlier
periodwithitslittlesquares,
openingsandplantations,
althoughthehousesenjoyall
themodernfacilities.
Of all the fortified towns in the Netherlands, Grave is one of the towns
that was besieged most often. Battles were regularly fought for possession of
this town due to its strategic position on the border of Brabant and Gelre
(Gelderland). Grave began as a small settlement but began to grow when
HermanIIvanCuijkbuiltacastlethereinapproximately1140.TheCuijkfamily
ruledoverthetownofGraveuntilthelatefourteenthcentury.IntheMiddle
Ages, several sieges took place as part of the struggle between the duchies
of Brabant and Gelre, including sieges in 1285, 1385, 1386 and 1388. Grave
belonged to Gelre between 1400 and 1549, during which time the old castle
was extended and improved. DukeArnoud of Gelre played an important role
for Grave, and the last Duke of Gelre, Karel van Egmond, was born in Grave.
Afterashortspellofpeace,Gravewasonceagainbesiegedseveraltimesduring
the EightyYears’War and was captured by State troops (including a siege in
1568byWilliamofOrangeandin1602byPrinceMaurits)andbytheSpanish
(includingasiegein1586).ThetownpassedintoFrenchhandsin1672whenKing
LouisXIVinvadedtheNetherlandsIn1674,Statetroopsrecapturedthetown,a
moveinwhichmanyhouses,thechurchandthecastlesufferedgreatdamage.The
impressiveElisabethChurchlostitsshipandthecastlewasallbutdemolished
except for the arsenal.The town suffered a very heavy siege by the French in
1794;itwasasiegethatincludedheavyartilleryfire.Thetownfounditdifficultto
recoverandin1874itlostitsstatusasafortresstownhavinghadalargegarrison
withinitswallsforsometime.Manyofthefortificationswerelaterdemolished.
Gravehasalwaysremainedasmalltown,butitisonewhichhadimmenselystrong
fortificationsthatwerecontinuallymodernised.Structuresthatremaintothisday
includepartoftheoutermoat,thebeautifulHampoort(1686),thecanonwall
(deKat,meaning‘thecat’)withitsbunkersandarsenalbelowonthesiteofthe
formercastle,thesemi-bastion‘Bekaf’,andthefortificationwallsalongtheMeuse
riverfrontandtheoldharbour.
WHERE HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURE MEETS MODERN
Places worth seeing
TheOld Town Hallisoneofthemostbeautifulbuildingsinthetown.The
buildingwasrestoredusingadrawingdatingbackto1732.
The Hoofdwagtwasthecentralcommandpostforthetowngarrisonand
built next to the town hall in the 18th century.The so-called Strafpaard
(PunishmentHorse)standsinthesquareinfrontoftheHoofdwagt,being
aninstrumentoftorturewitharazor-sharpseat.Soldiersfoundguiltyofa
crimehadtositouttheirpunishmentonit.Dependingontheseverityof
thecrime,arangeofweightsorsandbagswouldbesuspendedfromthefeet
ofthecriminalstherebyincreasingtheweight,anddiscomfort.
The Sint Elisabethkerkchurchdatesfromthe13thcentury.Thiswasoriginally
aRomanCatholicchurch,thoughlater,Protestantserviceswereheldthere.
It has since reverted to use by the Catholics.The church has a very fine
interiorandincludeswoodcarvings,paintings,sculpturesandvarioustypes
ofornamentation.
Builtin1688,theHampoortistheonlyremainingaccessgateor‘port’that
leadsintotheoldvestingtown.Itisalsoreckonedtobethemostnoteworthy
example of a town gate in the whole of the Netherlands. Opposite the
Hampoortthereisanelevation,behindwhichliestheArsenaal.Thisusedto
beamilitarycomplexandincludedpowdermagazines,bunkers,storageareas
andstables.Nowadays,itisoccupiedbythefamousDutchinteriordesigner,
JandesBouvrie.
Thetouristoffice(VVV)organisesguided town walking toursofthemost
importantmonumentsandsights.
VVV agentschap Grave
Rogstraat 13
5361 GP Grave
T: +31 (0)486 475 300
F: +31 (0)486 420 480
I: www.toerismegrave.nl
GROENLO
History
TheDutchsaying‘Zovasteals
Grolle’,whichmeans‘Assafeas
Grolle’,reflectstheimportant
rolethatGroenloplayedin
the16thand17thcenturiesas
afortifiedcityontheeastern
borderoftheLowCountries.
The‘starckestadGrol’(‘mighty
cityofGrol’)hasbeenfiercely
foughtoverinthepast,particularlyduringtheEightyYearsWar
withSpain.Nowadays,visitors
toGroenlowilldiscoverasmall
citywheremuchofthathistory
hasbeenrestored,yetonethat
stillbreathestheexuberantair
oftimesgoneby.
Groenlo,formerlyknownasGrolofGrolle,wasfoundedintheearlyseventhcentury
andwasgranteditsowncharteron2December1277byCountReinoudIof
Zutphen.Thecitysoonbecameamajortradingcentrealongtheroutebetween
HollandandGermany,allowingguildstoflourish.
Grolle became a strong fortified city which, as a border post, was repeatedly
besieged,particularlyduringtheEightyYears’War,aperiodinwhichthecitycame
alternatelyunderSpanishandDutchrule.Grollewastaken,forexample,bythe
DutchprinceMauriceofNassauin1597onlytoberecapturedin1606bySpanish
troopsledbySpinola.In1627,afteralmost60yearsofwar,thecitypassedinto
DutchhandsforgoodhavingbeenbesiegedandcapturedbyPrinceFrederick
Henry,sonoftheStadholderWilliamofOrange-Nassau.
Thisbecameknownasthe‘SiegeofGrol’,andwasimportanthistoricallyforseveral
reasons: the Spaniards had lost their main bulwark in the east of the country,
whichmeantthattheoccupyingpowerscouldbedrivenoutforgood.Thismajor
feat of arms was immortalised by Hugo Grotius in his work entitled‘Obsidia
Grollae’andalsobyJoostvandenVondelinhis‘ConquestofGrolbyFrederick
Henry,PrinceofOrange’.
Moreover, Frederick Henry used this new strategy to recapture the city; he
orderedhistroopsnotonlytobuildbulwarksandsoldiers’quarters,butalsoto
connectthesebywayofanearthenfortificationwallknownasacircumvallation.
Grollewasthussurrounded,enablingthecitytobecapturedafterjust30days.
Incredibly, the foundations of the circumvallation surrounding Groenlo have
remainedalmostentirelyintacttothisday.
AS SAFE AS GROLLE
Places worth seeing
TheStadsmuseum (city museum)devotesmuchofitsspacetotheSpanish
era,whichcanbeexperiencedinvariouswaysasyouexplorethemuseum.
The Old Calixtus Church probably dates from shortly after 785 and was
redesignedinthe15thcenturyintheGothicstyleweseetoday.Theauthentic
interiorofthechurchhasbeenopentovisitorssinceitwasrenovatedinlate
2007.“Ashieldandmyreliance...”AsofJanuary2009,visitorstothemediaevalOldCalixtusChurchcan‘relive’oneofthemostdramaticandexciting
eventsthattookplaceduringtheEightyYears’War:thesiegeandcapture
of the old fortress city of Grol by the infamous general and stadtholder
FrederikHenry.
The Scherpenbergbolwerk(abulwarkneartotheCantonalCourt)andthe
Mussenbergbolwerk (a cannon emplacement) were important parts of the
defencelinearoundthe‘VesteGrol’,whichmeansthefortifiedcityofGrol
(Groenlo)A reconstruction of both these bulwarks is included in a special
cultural heritage city walk.Thewalkalsotakesvisitorstothemarketsquare,a
17thcenturycityfarmandtheNieuwePoort(‘newgate’ontheEibergseweg).
Two cycle routesandatripontheVestingstadExpressalsoenableyoutosoak
uptheatmosphereoftheEightyYears’War,bothinandaroundGroenlo.
1.The ’80 year’s war’ isa41kmcycleroutethattakesyoualongpartsofthe
circumvallationlineandtothefortifiedtownofBredevoort.
2.‘Under fire’ isa24kmcyclerouteforchildrenbetween9and12yearsofage
andwhichisbasedonthechildren’sbook‘Ondervuur’,whichmeans‘under
fire’,byArendvanDam.Alongtheroute,armedwitharucksackfulloftasksto
complete,participantscanfollowtheadventuresofthebook’smaincharacters
BregjeandHarmen,andlearnallaboutthesiegeofGrolastheygoalong.
3. The Vestingstad Express is a train that in approximately 1.5 hours takes
younotonlytoGroenlo,butalsotolocalplacesofinterestsuchastheErve
Kotsrestaurantandopenairmuseum,Weeninkcheesefarm,theBesselinkschanswinedomain,and,justacrosstheborderinGermany,theZwillbrocker
Veenwithitscolonyofflamingos.
For further information, see www.vestingstadexpress.nl
Onceeverytwoyears,visitorscanseethe siege and conquest of Grolleby
FrederickHenryplayed‘live’inGroenlo.Thishistoricaleventfrom1627will
be re-enacted in 2010. Re-enactors (who play 17th century soldiers) come
toGroenlofromalloverEuropetore-enactthe‘SiegeofGrol’.For further
information, see www.slagomgrolle.nl
All information is available at www.groenlovestingstad.nl
VVV in Groenlo
Mattelierstraat 33
7141 BP Groenlo
T: 0544-461247
I: www.vvvgroenlo.nl
I: www.groenlovestingstad.nl
HELLEVOETSLUIS
History
Didyouknowthatsomeof
theNetherlands’mostfamous
heroes,includingDeRuyter,
TrompandPietHein,came
fromHellevoetsluis?ThehistoryofHellevoetsluisisvery
closelyconnectedwithwater.
Evidenceofitsmaritimepast
appearstimeandagaininthe
historicalcentre.
Theheartoftheoldvesting
towniscalledtheVestinghaven,
withtheGrooteDokatits
centre.Youwillfindherethe
firststone-built,drydockin
theNetherlands,calledthe
DroogdokJanBlanken.
TheHellevoetfortressisuniqueas–incontrasttootherDutchfortresscities–
itsfortificationsmainlyservedtoprotecttheDutchfleetagainstattackscoming
fromthesea.Thankstoitsstrategicposition,Hellevoetsluiswasoneofthemost
importantnavalportsoftheNetherlandsinthe17thcentury.Theportwasmainly
usedforshiprepairsandequippingshipsoftheAdmiraltyofRotterdamandin
latertimesfortheshipsoftheRoyalDutchNavy.Shortlyafterthefirstharbour
workswerecompleted,itwasdecidedtostrengthentheharbourevenfurther.
DuringtheFirstAnglo-DutchWar,itbecameapparentthattherewasneedfora
placewheretheDutchfleetcouldmoorandwhererepairsandmaintenancecould
becarriedout.
TheprotectionofHellevoetsluiswasstartedin1665andaccordingtotheOld
Dutchsystemofdefence.Fromasmallhamlet,theplacegraduallyexpandedalong
the Haringvliet to become an important fortified naval harbour where famous
seaadmiralssuchasDeRuyterandTrompwerebased.WhenWilliamIIIcameto
Hellevoetsluis in 1688, it became obvious that the fortifications were in a very
poorstate.ThiswasbecauseHellevoetsluis,contrarytoothervestingtowns,was
primarilydesignedtooffershipssafehaven.In1696,thefortificationswereonce
againbroughtunderrepair,resultinginimprovementsbeingmadebasedonthe
Frenchsystemofbuildingtownfortifications.
VESTING TOWN OF THE SEA HEROES
Places worth seeing
Thede Veste visitor’s centreprovidesyouwithabriefsummaryofthehistory
ofHellevoetsluis.Presentationsofallthelocalmuseumsprovideanexcellent
impressionofwhattheyhavetooffer.Mostimpressiveisthescalemodelof
theHellevoetsluisfortress.ThisscalemodelintroducesyoutoHellevoetsluis
inthetimearound1834.Thevisitor’scentrealsohousestheTouristInformation
Office(VVV)andtheDutchTouringClub(ANWB)ofHellevoetsluis.
Two former navy buildings now house the Nationaal Brandweermuseum
(National Fire Brigade Museum).Thesestatelypropertiesdatebackto1786
andareareminderofthedaysoftheDutchnavalheroes.Thenavyinitially
had these buildings constructed in order to stock up their warships.The
museumcontainsatroveoffirefightingmaterials,rangingfromsomequite
primitiveequipment(datedaround1550)topresent-dayfirefightingmethods.
TheatticoftheformerGrootMagazijnhousestheOudheidkamer (Antiquities
Room) Hellevoetsluis.Inthisattractivemuseum,avastcollectionofobjects
anditemsfromtheolddaysiskept.However,ithasnumerousolderutensils
andappliancesaswell.Apartfromthemore‘domestic’exhibits,themuseum
canalsoboastacollectionofobjectsanditemsfromHellevoetsluis’naval
historyaswell.Additionally,extensiveattentionisgiventothemeddisplays
suchaseducation,professionsandtoys.
WithintheHellevoetfortress,oneofthemostimportantmonumentsisthe
historical Droogdok (dry dock).The construction of one of the first dry
docksintheNetherlandswasthebeginningofarevolutionarydevelopment
within the shipbuilding and ship repair industry.This is the reason why it
canberightfullystatedthatthisisamonumentofsignificanthistoricaland
industrialarchaeologicalvalue.
In1801,theDe Hoop tower millwasbuilt.Themillhasavisitors’centreon
the second attic. From the fourth attic, you can climb up the tower and
enjoythemagnificentview.
The lightship ‘12 Noord-Hinder’ servedasanorientationpointforthoseat
seaandasasortofadvancedentrancetotheportitself.Avisittothisspecial
shipwillprovideinsightintothesailor’slifeofthosedays.Allareasareopen
tothepublic,includingtheengineroom,crew’squarters,galleyandthelight
toweritselfofferingapanoramicviewovertheHaringvliet.
Stichting Regio VVV
Zuid-Hollandse eilanden
VVV-ANWB Kantoor Hellevoetsluis
Oostzanddijk 3
3221 AL Hellevoetsluis
T: +31 (0)181 312 318
F: +31 (0)181 325 184
I: www.zuid-hollandse-eilanden.nl
‘s-HERTOGENBOSCH
History
Welcometo’s-Hertogenbosch,
thecityofJeroenBosch!Let
yourselfbesweptupbythe
nostalgiaandpleasantambience
inthishistoricalfortifiedcity
whichhaspreserveditsmedieval
characteristics.Youwilldiscover
thatthiscitymanagestocombinepastandpresentinperfect
harmony.
TheimpressiveSint-Janscathedral
isareminderoftheCatholic
characterofthecity.Vitalto
theimageof’s-Hertogenbosch
arethefortificationsaround
theinnercity.Therequired
maintenanceofthecitywalls
iscombinedwiththeapproach
ofotherthemesrelatedtothe
fortificationboundary:environmentalplanning,ecology,water
control,culturalhistoricaspects,
traffic,tourismandrecreation.
Thetownderivesitsnamefromthedescription“deshertogenbos”(theduke’s
forest), and the duke in question was Hendrik the First of Brabant. In 1185, he
grantedthesettlementcitystatuswithalltheassociatedtradingprivileges.Inthe
periodthatfollowed,thisnewtowngrewrapidlyalongwithitscommerce.From
about 1525, the growth then went into decline.This was caused by the Dutch
Revolt,leadingtoadeepcrisisin1566.In1579,thetowncouncilchosetodeclare
allegiancetotheKingofSpain,followedbythereintroductionofRomanCatholicism.
Thousandsofinhabitantsleftthetown,nevertoreturn.
BytheendoftheEightyYears’War,tradestartedtorecover,andthepresence
ofthegarrisonsalsobegantomakeimprovementstodailylifeinthetown.In
economicterms,thetownbegantodoratherwell.WhentheNetherlandssplit
in1815,’s-HertogenboschbecamethecapitalofNorthBrabantandthecentreof
government,administrationandeducationintheprovince.Eveninthosetimes,
market commerce was the major source of activity. Unfortunately, industrial
development lagged behind owing to severe problems of flooding.There were
also great social differences.A large proportion of the population lived under
poor conditions.These conditions improved only very gradually until in 1874
permissionwassoughtfromthegovernmenttodemolishthefortificationwalls:
forthefirsttimeincenturies,itnowbecamepossibletobringthefloodingunder
controlandthetownstartedtogrow.
CITY OF JEROEN BOSCH
Places worth seeing
Thecentre-pieceisdefinitelytheSint Janskathedral,oftencalledsimplySint
Jan(StJan).Early1985sawthecompletionofanintensive10-yearrestoration
project.After climbing to the top of the 74-metre tower, you are afforded
splendidviewsoverthetownandbeyond.
TheoldestpartofthecityistheMarktplein (Market Square)whichwaslaid
outin1185.Thissquare,intheheartofthecity,hasanintimateandcosycharacter
duetoitstriangularshapeandthetightlypackedbuildingsallaround.
ThetownhasmanymuseumsincludingtheNoordbrabantsMuseum,which
has a permanent exhibition showing the Den Bosch fortifications (Bossche
vestingwerken) and various temporary exhibits. The Jheronimus BoschArt
Centerhighlightsthelife,ideasandworkoftheartistJeroenBoschinanumber
ofinterestingways.
Thefirststonehousebuiltintownisthe13th-centuryMoriaan.Inthosedays,
housesdidnothavenumbersbutweregivennamesinstead.Afterrestoration
itbecamethetown’stouristoffice(VVV).
OntheBastion Oranje,theStuerGhewaltcannon,nicknamedtheBozeGriet
(SpitefulHarlot),canbefound,withitscannonintheshapeofafishhead(a
referencetothebrillor‘griet’).Itwasforgedin1511inCologne.TheGerman
inscriptiontranslatesthus:“MynameisPowerandForce,o’er’s-Hertogenbosch
Iguard”.Nonsenseactually,becauseafteritwasdelivered,itturnedouttobe
absolutelyuseless!
Thecityriver,theBinnendieze,isevenmoreancientthanthe800-year-oldcity.
Asyousailalongononeofthecharacteristicopenboats,’s-Hertogenbosch
isrevealedinallitscharm;attimesoutintheopen,attimesunderneaththe
buildingsthemselves.
Boat tours, including the special Fortification Route and the Jeroen Bosch
RoutewithavisittotheHieronymusBoschArtCentrecanbebookedvia
www.kringvriendenvanshertogenbosch.nl. Bookings can be made for various
citywalksaswell.However,youmayalsobooktheseatthenumerousVVVHertogenbosch tourist information offices. Here, you may additionally find
variouscitywalkswhichcanbemadeonanindividualbasis,suchasthe
‘FortificationsWalk’.Youcouldalsorentaspecial‘Fortificationsbicycle’,including
amaporroutealongthepresentcityrampartsandbastions.
Regio-VVV Meierij &
Noordoost-Brabant
Bezoekadres: Markt 77
Postbus 1039, 5200 BA
‘s-Hertogenbosch
T: (0900) - 112 23 34 (0,50 p.m.)
F:+31 (0)73 61 28 930
I: www.vvvdenbosch.nl
HULST
History
“Onceuponatime.”With
thissentence,thefamous13thcenturyepicstoryofReynard
theFoxbegins.Thestorytells
ofthecunningReynard,afox
whoplaystricksbyusinghis
wilycharmstodefytherules
andregulationsofthetime.
YouwilldiscoverthatReynard
theFoxisaliveandwelland
livinginHulst.Walkinground
thetownyouwillnoticethat
manystreetnamesalludeto
thetale.
Hulstisaveryoldvestingtown.Unfortunately,littleisknown
about its origins, though it is clear from historical evidence
thatitwasoriginallyasettlementdatingfromaroundtheyear
1000.In1180,theFlemishDukePhilipsgrantedHulstcertain
tradingprivileges.Thisallowedfreedomfromtollsthroughout
Flanders.ThetransportationofgoodstoandfromHulstdidn’t
attractanyroadtolls,therebymakingtradingmoreprofitable.
TheseprivilegeshadanenormousinfluenceonthelaterprosperityofHulst.ThetownspeopleofHulstoccupiedthemselves
withsaltproductionanddealingincloth.Theyhadareputation
atthattimeforbeingexperiencedartisansandtraders.
Thefortificationsthatcanbeseentodaywerebuiltaroundthe
townduringtheEightyYears’War.Thevesting,orfortification
works, consisted of earthen ramparts, bastions and ravelins
andplayedavitalroleindefendingthetown.In1645,Hulst
wasbesiegedbytheHollandersforweeks.Thesiegewascarriedoutbytroops
oftheStatesGeneralunderthecommandofFrederikHendrikwhocapturedthe
townafter28days.TheStatesGeneralforbadethetowntocarryouttradeon
theScheldeinthedirectionofAntwerp.Thisresultedinavirtualhalttoalltrade
withAntwerpandtherestofFlanders.Thiswasthestartofadifficultperiodfor
Hulst.TheharbourwhichconnectedHulstwiththeWesternScheldewaterway
Hulst. The harbour which
eventuallysiltedup,thoughitwasstillpossibletoreachthelittleharboursalong
eventually
silted up, though
theScheldeandcarryouttradingbysailingalongthesmallerwaterways.Dueto
the
Schelde and carry out
partialstagnationoftheeconomyofHulst,therewasnodirectneedtodemolish
partial
stagnation of the economy
theoldfortresswalls.Thisiswhytheseimpressivewallscontinuedtodictatethe
the
old fortress walls. This
silhouetteofHulstforover350years.
silhouette of Hulst for over
HOME OF REYNARD THE FOX
Places worth seeing
The Stadhuis (Town Hall) dates from 1526-1534 and possesses some lovely
worksofart.ThesecanbeviewedduringtheTownHallopeninghours.
Alargesumofmoneywasspentontherestorationofthebeautifulfront
gableoftheGouveneurshuis.ItpresentlyhousestheRabobank.
The Basilica of the H. Willibrorduswasbuiltaround1200,andbetween1460
and1533,wasextendedtocreateanattractivebuildingintheBrabantGothic
style.Overthecenturies,thetowerhashadnumeroustypesofspireerected
onit.ThelaststeepledatesbacktoaftertheSecondWorldWarandisamodern
concreteconstruction.
The Keldermanspoorttowngatebuiltin1506liesatthenorthernpartofthe
vesting.Theportalhadadoublefunctionasalandandawaterportal.Where
thename‘DobbelePoort’comesfromshouldbeself-explanatory.
Overtheyears,Hulsthasknownadiversityofmarkets.Fishwassoldonthe
Vismarkt (fish market),wheretheharbourusedtobelocated. Furthermore,
thereistheHoutmarkt(woodmarket),thePaardenmarkt(horsemarket)and
the Beestenmarkt (animal market). The big weekly market traditionally takes
placeonMondaysontheGroteMarkt(BigMarket).
IntheRefugium van de Abdij van DuinenintheSteenstraat,themuseumDe
VierAmbachten(TheFourTrades)openeditsdoorsin1979.Inadditiontothe
generalcollection,eachyearseesadifferentexhibitionbeingorganised.
Since1990,theBierbrouwerij De Halve Maenhasonceagainbeenbrewinga
numberoflocalbeersinthetraditionalmanner.Duringaguidedtour,youwill
hearinterestingdetailsaboutthehistoryofthebreweryandthebeersithas
producedandstillproducestoday.Youmightevengetatasteofthefortresscity
beer,whichrejoicesinthenameGrofGeschut(orinEnglish‘Heavilygunned’!).
’s LandshuisisalsolocatedintheSteenstraat.Thisbuildingwithitslargecellardatesbackasfaras1665andhasastatelyfaçade,includingstepsandan
ironrailing.TheportaldisplaystheblazonofHulstandtheGenerality. From
medievaltimesuptotheperiodofFrenchoccupation,itservedasagovernment building and a court house for the Magistrate of the HulstTrade. In
April2002,thepropertywasacquiredbythemunicipalityandisnowusedas
acentreforculturalandtouristactivities.
St. VVV Zeeuws-Vlaanderen
Vestiging Hulst
Steenstraat 37
4561 AR Hulst
T: +31 (0)114 315 221
F: +31 (0)114 316 208
I: www.vvvzvl.nl
NAARDEN
History
Justimagineifoldtreescould
talk!ThentheoldGodelinden
tree,plantedin1750,could
tellataleortwo.Buteven
longbeforethat,thepeopleof
Naardenhadhadaturbulent
history.Todaythepeopleof
Naardenkeeptheseeventsof
thepastalive.Manyinhabitants
arecloselyconnectedtothe
well-beingofthetownresultinginafascinatingsocial
andculturaltownlife.The
peopleofNaardenarejustified
inbeingproudoftheirtown
andarealwaysreadytooffera
warmwelcometovisitors.
ItisnotknownexactlywhenNaardenwasfounded,thoughithasbeenestablished
that,earlyinitshistory,thetownwasgrantedtherighttoholdmarkets.Atthat
time,Naardenwaslocatedafewkilometresfurthernorth-eastontheZuiderSea.
When the Hoekse en Kaberljauwse (Hooks and Cod) disputes broke out, the
townwasdestroyedanditsremainswerelefttothemercyoftheZuiderSea.That
sameyear,thetownwasrebuiltbyCountWilliamVofHolland.Hedecidedthat
Naardenshouldberelocatedtoamorestrategicallyimportantsite.
The new Naarden immediately received town status.The current street plan
originates principally from that time. Despite the revolt by many Dutch towns
againsttheSpanishrule,NaardenremainedloyaltotheSpanishcrown.InAugust
1572,thetownfellintothehandsoftheGeuzen(SeaBeggars).Inthemeantime,
thefortifyingrampartswereinapoorstateofrepair.WheninNovemberofthat
yearthecanalsfrozeover,theSpanishseizedtheirchanceandretookthetown.
ThetowncouncilsentarepresentativetotheKingofSpaintoarrangethesurrender.Itwasimportantthattheinhabitantsshouldremainunharmedduringthe
handover. However, that December, 400 Spanish musketeers marched into the
townsettingitalightandmurderinghundredsofinhabitants.
Therebuildingstartedinearnestin1574.Duringthecenturiesthatfollowed,the
vestingwasextendedandperfectedwhilebeingcompletelyrestored.AsNaarden
waspartoftheNieuweHollandseWaterlinie(NewDutchWaterDefenceLine)
itwasnotobligedtodismantleitsfortificationsupontheintroductionofthe
Vestingwet(FortificationAct)of1874.
THE PEARL OF ‘HET GOOI’
Places worth seeing
Inthecentreofthecityisitsoldestmonument,theSt .Vitus or De Grote Kerk
(the Great Church)withitsbeautifulceilingpaintings.
The Stadhuis (town hall)datesfrom1601andisstillusedasatownhallto
thisday.ThebuildingisanexcellentexampleofDutchRenaissancearchitecture.
The Nederlands Vesting MuseumislocatedintheTurfpoortbastion.Theis
theonlyplacewhereitispossibletoviewtheinsideoftherampartfortifications.
With the aid of illustrations and other objects, the history of Naarden is
exhibitedinthebunkers.
The Comenius MuseumliesnexttothemausoleumoftheformerWaalse
chapel.ThemuseumisdedicatedtoJanAmosKomenskýwhocombinedthe
careers of educationalist, man of letters, theologian, publisher and educationalreformer.
TheformerBurgerweeshuis (Township Orphanage)hasaherbgardenwhere
youcanenjoythescentandthecoloursoftheplants.Afterrestorationin
1991,thetownarchiveswerehousedhere.
The Arsenaalwasbuiltin1688.Thisiswheremilitarymaterialwasstoredin
daysgoneby.Itremainedinusebythearmyuntilthe1980s.Since1993,it
hasbeenthehomeoftheJandesBouvrieDesignCentre.
The Naardermeer (Lake Naarden)istheoldestprotectednaturereservein
theNetherlandsandisknowninparticularforitsunusualfloraandfauna.
Variousboattripscanbemadeonthislakeanditisalsopossibletotakea
walkaroundthelake.Forfurtherinformation,pleasecontactNatuurmonumenten:+31(0)356559955.
In the Naarderbos woods you can play golf, go swimming or take in the
lovelyviewsofGooimeer(LakeGooi)fromitssmallbeach.
Around the fortress, you can find the ‘Vesting- en natuurpad’ (Fortress
and Nature Path).Approximately3.5kilometresinlength,thiswilltakeyou
alongthewaterfrontandpastFortRonduit.
VVV Naarden
Adriaan Dortsmanplein 1-B
1411 RC Naarden
T: +31 (0)35 694 28 36
F: +31 (0)35 694 34 24
I: www.vvvnaarden.nl
RAVENSTEIN - MEGEN
ThemunicipalityofOssishometotwofortifiedtowns,MegenandRavenstein.
History
Ravensteinisaparticularly
beautifulvestingtown–the
‘PearlontheMaas’.Visiting
Ravensteinisliketakinga
tripbackintime.Inthetown
centre,thelayoutremains
unchanged,withitsoldgables
lendinganatmospherebelonging
toanearlierera.
Ravensteinissurroundedby
natureand,likeagarland,eleven
churchparishesencircleRavenstein
initsbeautifulsetting.
Megenwasgrantedcityrights
on8January1357.Megenis
asmallcityonthesouthbank
ofawidebendintheriver
Meuse,downstreamofGrave
andRavenstein,andupstream
of‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Ravenstein: The year 1360 is considered to be when Ravenstein was founded.
WalravenvanValkenburg,avassalatthattime,relocatedhiscastletoanew
locationontheriverMaas.Hewashopingtoimprovethecollectionoftollson
theriver.Hissuperior,theCountofBrabant,wasenragedattheaudacityof
theWalravencollectingtollsandrelocatinghiscastlewithoutpermission,and
setoffwithasmallarmyin1364tocapturethenewlybuiltcastle.Thesiegedid
notlastandatrucewasagreed;thevassal‘(Wal)raven’wasallowedtokeephis
‘stein’orcastle.
Soonthereafter,asettlementspranguparoundthecastleand,asearlyas1380,
theofficialstatusoftownshipwasconferredonit.Afterwards,thetownwasput
undersiegebytheBishopofLiegeandtheDukeofKleef.Then,in1543,King
CharlesVofSpaindeclaredthatRavensteinshouldbedemolished,despitethe
fortificationsonlyhavingbeenconstructedin1522.Luckily,thetowngatesor
‘ports’andthecastleremainedintact.In1609,Ravensteincameunderthecontrol
oftheCountofPaltz,whowasanswerabletotheElectorofBrandenburg.His
son,whowasbusyfightingawar,tookoutaloanfromtheStatesGeneralof
Holland.
Ascollateral,theStatesGeneraldemandedtherighttogarrisontheirtroops
at Ravenstein, which would serve as a counterbalance to the presence of the
Spanishtroops.Thegarrisonarrivedandhouseswereerectedforthesoldiers’
families, as well as a church.Apart from a break between 1630 and 1635, the
StatesGeneralsoldiersremainedatRavenstein.Thefortificationswererestored
andacanalwasdugaroundthetown.
Megen: CountWillemDicbiergrantedthepeopleofMegancityrightsinJanuary
1357.These rights, and the rights to charge tolls on the River Meuse, were
confirmedbytheRomanEmperorandKingofBohemiaCharlesIV.Thefortifications,ofwhichtheprisontoweristheonlyremainingpart,wereconstructed
inthelatterhalfofthe14thcentury.
RAVENSTEIN, WITHOUT ‘STEIN’ BUT
WITH A RICH HISTORY
Places worth seeing in Ravenstein
Two town gates or ‘ports’ remain from the original fortifications. The
MaaspoortdatesfromtheMiddleAgesandiswherethetownphysician
livedinthe18thand19thcenturies.ThisgategaveaccesstotheriverMaas.
TheKastellpoort(CastleGate)gaveaccesstothecastleandformedpart
oflaterrenewalstothefortifications.Thethirdtowngatehasdisappeared
altogether.
The Garnizoenkerk (Garrison Church)istheDutchProtestantReformed
Churchofthetown.ThechurchwasoriginallybuiltfortheStatesGeneral
garrisonin1641.TheKleineKerk(LittleChurch)wascompletelyrestoredin
1972andisthepropertyofthemunicipality.
Theold town pumpislocatedinthecentreofthetownatthespotwhere
thetown’scommunityandfirewellusedtostand.The18th-centuryPatriciërshuis(PatricianHouse)wasrenovatedin1983andisnowusedforwedding
ceremonies,specialreceptionsandculturalactivities.Thefrontgableofthis
buildingdatesfrom1739.
Since1857,theDe Nijverheid tower windmillhasbeensituatedonthe
locationofanearlierwoodenstandardmill.Itislocatedinthemiddleof
thetownand,withhisheightof30metres,isthetallestinNoordBrabant.
Ravenstein is renowned for its many regular annual events. One of the
best-known is ‘Ravenstein bij Kaarslicht’ (Ravenstein by Candlelight), in
themonthofDecember.Theancientfortifiedtownisattractivelyilluminated
by candles. Choirs, musical ensembles and theatre performances create a
Christmasatmosphereforthemanyvisitors.
Toeristisch Informatiecentrum
Ravenstein
Het Raadhuis
St. Luciastraat 2
5370 AS Ravenstein
Postbus 49
5370 AA Ravenstein
T: +31 (0)486 411 306
I: www.toerismeravenstein.nl
WEESP
History
MuchofWeesp’sunique
characterderivesfromits
beautifullocationonthe
banksoftheRiverVecht.
Inthecompacttowncentre,
convivialshoppingboulevards
alternatewithnarrowstreets
thatdatebacktotheMiddle
Ages.Themonumentaltown
hallandthelargechurch
testifytothetown’saffluent
past.ThefactthatWeespwas
locatedatastrategicpointis
clearfromthefortifications
alongthesideofthetown
thatlooksontotheriver.
Weespisbuiltonabusyintersectionofwaterwaysand,during
thesummer,watersportsadd
tothelivelyatmosphereinthe
town.
ItslocationonthebanksoftheRiverVecht,ontheborderbetweentheCounty
ofHollandandtheDioceseofUtrecht,meantthatWeespwasastrategically
importanttownfromearlyoninitshistory.DeVechtwasanimportantcourseof
navigationbetweenUtrechtandtheformerZuiderzee,whichmadeitimportant
fortheeconomyaswellasforthemilitary.In1355,Count
WilliamVofHollandgrantedWeespatowncharter.This
madeitpossibleforthetowntobecomeaproperlyfortified
town.Weespwasthreatenedseveraltimesoverthecenturies,
largely on account of its strategic location. In 1673, the
fortificationswereexpanded.
Amoatwasdugaroundapieceoflandontheoppositeside
of theVecht, creating a small island in theVecht, which
cametobeknownastheOssenmarkt.Twobastionswith
acourtinewerebuilthere.Twomorebastionswerebuilt
onthesouthsideofWeesp.Overtheyears,thefortificationsatWeespformedpartoftheOldDutchWater
Line,theNewDutchWaterLineandtheDefenceLineof
Amsterdam–aringofartillerypostsaroundthecapital.
Inthemiddleofthe19thcentury,thebastionsatWeesp
werereinforcedandanewforttowerwasbuiltontheOssenmarkt.Thesereinforcementscontinuetodeterminethe
lookoftheoldpartofWeesptothisday.
In the 19th century, the Dutch parliament passed the
ProhibitedAreasAct(Kringenwet),whichprohibitedtheconstructionofstone
buildingswithin300metresofafort.ThismadeitdifficultforWeesptoexpand.
Ontheotherhand,italsohelpedtopreservemuchoftheoriginalcharacterof
Weespasafortifiedtown.TheKringenwetalsomeantthatanynewhomesbuilt
outsidethefortressweremadeofwood,sotheycouldbesetalightiftheenemy
wereapproaching.Severalrowsofhousesalongthe‘Utrechtfront’datebackto
thisperiodofhistory.
CITY ON THE RIVER
Places worth seeing
The Town HallinWeespwasbuiltduringtheperiodfrom1772to1776.It
isanimpressivebuildingwithasandstonefacade.Thecouncilchamber,the
mainreceptionroomandtheofficesusedbythemayor,thesecretaryand
thetowncouncilareallonthefirstfloor.
TheWeespMunicipal MuseumonthesecondflooroftheTownHallhas
alargecollectionofWeespporcelain,includingseveralpiecesthatwere
previouslyondisplayattheRijksmuseuminAmsterdam.
TheGrote of Laurenskerk–aLateGothicchurchbuiltin1462–issituated in the centre of the town.The church has a light-infused interior
andcontainsanimpressivechoirscreen,aBätzorganandseveralmedieval
frescos.InthechurchtowerthereisaHemonycarillonthatisstillplayed
onaregularbasis.
ThereusedtobemanywindmillsinWeesp.Today,onlythreeremain.Molen
DeVriendschap is still operating as a mill and is open to the public on
Saturdaymornings.
ThecentreofWeespandthefortificationsaredefinitelyworthseeing.The
localtouristinformationoffice(VVW)hasdetailsofthreewalksthrough
thetown.
TheWhitsunweekendisdevotedtofineart,withexhibitionsandagallery
tour.AseriesoflockandbridgefestivalsareheldattheendofAugust.
Infokantoor VVW
Hoogstraat 10
1381 VS Weesp
T: +31 (0)294 415 427
I: www.tourismeweesp.info
WILLEMSTAD
History
AsyouwanderaroundWillemstad,youcaneasilyimagine
thatyou’rebackinoldentimes.
Thewholetownscapewithin
thefortifiedramparts,including
therampartsthemselvesand
thefiringrange,wereprotected
underaconservationorderin
1970.ThepeopleofWillemstad
andthemunici-palityarevery
protectiveabouttheirtown,
inthesensethatthereisno
mistakingthatWillemstadis
stilla‘vestingtown’.Incontrast
withearlieryears,though,
outsidersarenowadaysmade
verywelcome.
In1561,JanIVvanLymes,MarquisofBergenopZoom,commissionedthedrainage
of the salt marshes in the extreme north-west of his marquisate.The polder
wascompletedin1564andwasnamedtheRuygenhil.Oneyearlater,avillage
wasbuilt,whichwasalsogiventhenameRuygenhil.Whenthesuccessortothe
Marquis,JanvanWittem,openlysidedwiththeSpaniardsin1581,theCouncilof
BrabantdecidedtogivetheareatoWillemvanOranjeascompensationforhis
losses during the EightyYears’War. Based on its strategic location,Willem van
Oranjedecidedtoturnthevillageintoafortifiedtown.Thiswasinitiatedin1583
andthenamechangedfromRuygenhiltoWillems’stad.
Willem van Oranje did not live to see the completion of the fortress. He was
killedon10thJuly1584inDelft.Hisson,PrinceMaurits,completedtheramparts
andthelayoutclearlybearshishallmark.In1586,PrinceMauritsgrantedthecity
certainprivileges.PrinceMauritsfinancedtheconstructionofthreeimportant
buildingsinWillemstad.In1587,theTownHallwasbuiltnexttotheharbour.The
Koepelkerkdatesfrom1607andthePrincehof,nowknownastheMauritshuis,
from1623
Thesevenbastions,namedafterdifferentregions,remindusofexcitingmoments
in history. One of these was Napoleon’s visit toWillemstad, when he commissionedabuildingontheUtrechtbastiontostoregunpowder(kruithuis).Other
bastionsholdrelicsfromtheFirstandSecondWorldWars.In1926,Willemstad
lostitsstatusasgarrisontownandfortifiedcity.In1970,Willemstadwasdeclared
tobeanationalheritagesite.Itisoneofthemostbeautifulpreservedfortified
citiesinourcountry.
THE HOUSE OF ORANGE TOWN
Places worth seeing
TheArsenaalwasbuiltin1793toreplacetheoldarsenalandwasusedasa
storeforweapons.
StoneshavebeensetinthesidewalloftheWachthuisasareminderofthe
highwaterlevelsthatoccurredinWillemstad.
TheformerStadshuis (Town Hall)wasbuiltin1587.Inanticipationofthe
completionoftheKoepelkerk,thebuildinginitiallyservedasachurchaswell.
Moreover,incaseofsiege,theatticcouldadditionallyserveascornloft.The
largecellarwasdestinedtobethemeatstoragearea.
TheyearinwhichtheMauritshuiswasconstructed(1623)isdisplayed
immediatelyabovetheentrance. BuiltasahuntinglodgeforPrinceMaurits
and having since been used for a variety of purposes, the building was
renovatedin1973tothenserveastheWillemstadTownHall.Followingthe
boundary reviews of 1997, the Moerdijk municipality was expanded to
incorporateWillemstad.Sincethatdate,theMauritshuisisnolongerused
initstownhallcapacity.
YouwillfindtheKoepelkerkinthecentreofWillemstad.Afteraten-year
constructionperiod,thechurchwasfinallycompletedin1607.Itwasthefirst
churchinourcountrywhichwasspecificallybuiltforProtestantservices.
D’Orangemolen is a stone-built tower flour mill. Its construction was
commissionedbytheDomainBoardofNassauin1734.In1999,themillwas
renovatedandnowservesasaprivateresidence.
NapoleonorderedtheconstructionoftheDe Hel fortressin1811.Thisisone
ofthemanyfortsbuiltaroundWillemstadinordertoprotectthecity.
Toeristen- en Arrangementenbureau Willemstad
Hofstraat 1
4797 AC Willemstad
T: +31 (0)168 476 055
I: www.willemstadtoerisme.nl
WOUDRICHEM
History
Woudrichemisahistoricaland
culturaljewel!Theoldfortified
town,thecitywalls,thecanals,
facadesandauthenticmasonry
allbearwitnesstothecity’s
richhistory.Thefortresscityof
Woudrichemoffersvisitorsa
glimpseintothepast.Itsrich
historyandculturecanbe
foundnotonlywithinbutalso
beyondthecitygates,where
youcanexplorethehinterland
alongthebanksoftheRivers
Alm,MeuseandMerwede.
Woudrichemisanancient,picturesquelittlecitywitharichculturalandhistorical
pastandasimplywonderfulexampleofafortifiedcity!Thecityhasbeenknown
asWoudrichemsince1389,butitwasalreadyregardedasacityin1290asithad
asheriff,aldermenandacitycouncil.Thisquainttownusedtobetheprincipal
centre of the surrounding area known as The Land of Heusden and Altena.
Woudrichemwasgrantedcityrightsin1356,andon3June1362,theinhabitants
ofWoudrichem,the‘Woerkummers’,weregrantedfishingrights,whichallowed
them to fish on large stretches of the Maas and the Merwede.These fishing
rightswereaspecialprivilegebecausetheyweregrantedbythesovereigntothe
ordinary people, instead of to a knight, baron or town council.When in 1877
the borough council interfered with this centuries-old entitlement, the whole
townroseupinagenuine‘FishingRevolt’,organisedbythepoorfishermenwith
theirlargefamiliesinfearoflosingtheirlivelihood.Thelocalconstabularyand
infantryunitsfromLoevesteinandGorcumhadtobecalledintosuppressthe
uprising.
The historic harbour is home to authentic Dutch sailing ships such as tjalks,
schooners and clippers. Woudrichem’s harbour and Museum of Fishing and
cultural history (Visserij- & Cultuurhistorisch Museum) bear witness to the
city’scenturies-oldhistoryofsalmonfishing.Theoldcentre,whichistheactual
fortressarea,datesfrom1587andisabeautifullypreservedmonumentcitywhere
visitorscanwanderbackthroughtimesgoneby.The‘Hoogstraat’,withitsvery
finepropertiesandbeautifulgablestones,isalsowellworthavisit.
THE FORTIFIED TRIANGLE
Places worth seeing
Authentic Dutch sailing ships such as tjalks, schooners and clippers can
be admired every day inWoudrichem’s historical town harbour.There is
alsoashipyardmuseumherethatcomprisesasmallconstructionyard,a
paint shed, a traditional access ramp, a rivierschokker (a type of fishing
vessel),aboathoistandafishstoragearea.Theharbouriscertainlywell
worthavisit.
The Museum of Fishing, Culture & History(Visserij&CultuurHistorisch
Museum) is an interesting museum devoted to the city’s centuries-old
history of salmon fishing.The museum has a collection of model ships,
fishingvessels,aropemakers,anoldsmithyandanetmakers/sailmakers.
The corn mill ‘Nooit Gedacht’ hasalwaysstoodalongthecitywallsofthe
fortified town.This rampart is part of the defence line built around the
townattherequestofWilliamofOrangeandthemillisstillusedtomake
flour.Avisittothewindmillisfun,educationalandinteresting.
It is easy to combine a trip to Woudrichem with Loevestein Castle.
The castle is easy to access by way of a quaint pedestrian foot ferry.
Woudrichem, Gorinchem and Loevestein castle make up part of the
FortifiedTriangle(Vestingdriehoek).Byvisitingthesethreeplacesofinterest
youwill,inasingleday,havevisitedthreeprovinces,experienced650years
ofhistoryandsailedalongtworivers.
Anumberofthistown’sbeautifulbuildingsfeaturegable poemsbyLizzy
vanPelt.Poetryloverswilldelightatthemanyversesthatadornthegable
poetryroute(gevelgedichtenroute).
Numerous other placesofinterestbearwitnesstothetown’srichcultural
heritage.VisitanexhibitionintheStadsgalerie(townartgallery)orinthe
toweroftheMartinusChurch,andvisittherenovatedgunpowdercellars
ordelightinthebeautifulgablesonHoogstraat.
Toeristen Informatie Woudrichem
Kerkstraat 37
4285 BA Woudrichem
T: + 31 (0)183 301 202
ZALTBOMMEL
History
Zaltbommelwasthehome
baseofMaartenvanRossum
who,asayoungnobleman,
wasgiventheordertoprotect
GelderlandagainstEmperor
KarelVandlatertheexpansionismofKingPhilipof
Spain.Unfortunately,hisarmy
wastoosmallandsoheused
guerrillatacticsinvolving
attacksonanumberoftowns
intheprovince.Eventoday
inZaltbommel,youwillstill
comeacrosstheinfluenceof
Maarten.
Zaltbommelismorethanonethousandyearsold.Thefirstrecordofthename
appearsinacharterfrom850.Bythe13thcenturyZaltbommelhadbecomean
importanttradingcentre.Ithadtheofficialstatusofatownandwasenclosedby
aprotectivewall.Inthosedays,astartwasmadeonbuildingfortificationsaround
atownassoonasofficialstatushadbeengranted.Itwasnotalwaysthecasethat
warorsomeotherformofconflictwasbeingwaged.Initially,Zaltbommelwas
merelytryingtokeepvagabondsandrovinggangsoutsidethetownwalls.
TheprotectiveringoframpartsandcanalsaroundZaltbommelcouldneverbe
consideredasuperfluousluxury.Thishadtodowiththelocationofthetown
whichborderedGelreandHolland.Tensionbetweentheseareassometimesran
highduringthereignofPhilipII,KingofSpain,andalsowhenasafreetown,
ZaltbommelchosetheDutchSeaBeggarsandthePrinceofOrangeagainstthe
Spanishkingwhoseresponsewasputthetownundersiege.Eventually,highwater
levelsintheMaasbroughtaboutaturninevents,withtheSpanisharmybeing
forcedtopullback.Asecondattemptedsiegealsofailed.Thiswasalsoasaresult
ofPrinceWilliamofOrangeandhissonMauritsoccupyingthemselveswiththe
improvementofthetown’sdefences.
Additionally,historicalleaderssuchasVanOldenbarneveldheldregulardiscussions
herewithPrinsMaurits.ThepoetNijhoffwasinspiredbythenaturalbeautyof
thesurroundinglandscapeandhisloveofZaltbommel,whichisreflectedinsome
ofhispoems.Abridgewasnamedafterhim.ThefamouscastlesnearbyareSlot
LoevensteinandKasteelNederhemert.
SMALL TOWN: BIG STORY
Places worth seeing
ThefortificationsaroundZaltbommelarealmostentirelyintactandconsist
ofcanalsontheoutside,ramparts,innercanalsandatownwalldatingfrom
1316.Therampartsandthebulwarksarenowadayslaidoutasapublicpark.
The Waterpoort gate dates from the 14th century and is one of five
remaining.OntheothersideoftheWaterpoort,anoldcanonservesasa
buttress.
The Sint Maartenskerk churchislargely13thcentury,thoughonlycompleted
inthe1400s.Ithasaveryinterestinginteriorwithmuralspaintedonthe
wallsandvaultings.Thecoloursandchanginglightgivethechurchitsspecial
atmosphere.Thesplendidtowerrisesabovethetreesandthelowerbuildings
inthetown.
The Maarten van Rossumhuis was started by his brother and, over the
courseofthe16thcentury,wasalteredbyMaartenhimself.Thehouseisvery
large and decorated with many Renaissance sculptures.The Maarten van
Rossummuseumisnowhousedthere.
ThecoveredVismarkt (fish market)datesfrom1778andyoucanseethe
Zaltbommelcoatofarmsonthefrontgable.Thefishcaughtintheriverwere
soldhereindaysgoneby.
The castle Slot Loevensteinisaround650yearsoldandlocatedinanareaof
outstandingnaturalbeauty.ItowesitsnametoDiederikLoefofHorne.The
castlewasofficiallymadeintoaprisoninthe17thcentury.Thebest-known
prisonerwasHugodeGroot,famousformakinghisescapeinabookcase.
Regionaal Bureau voor
Toerisme (RBT) Rivierenland
Markt 10
5301 AL Zaltbommel
T: 0900 - 63 63 888
I: www.rivierenland.nl
Vereniging Nederlandse Vestingsteden

Nederlandse Vestingsteden

Transcription

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