Jaap van 't Veen's photos

The reformed old church in Delden - originally dedicated to St. Blasius - is an example of church construction that is frequently seen on the other side of the German border. The Oude Blasius (Old Blasius) or Blasiuskerk , is first mentioned in a manuscript from 1119, when it was given to the chapter of St. Pieter in Utrecht. This makes the church even older than the town of Delden itself. Around the year of 1150 work began on a new church, a one-aisled cruciform basilica. For unknown reasons the construction of the church stopped twenty years later. When work finally continued in the mid-13th century, a new plan was made to rebuilt the church into a three-aisled hall-church, similar to churches built in Westphalia (Germany) in that period. The church underwent a drastic change in the period 1464-1538: the nave was tripled, although there was apparently not enough room on the northern side. Thus, a hall church with two naves of equal height arose from the original nave with two low side aisles. The building of the tower, which probably replaced a Romanesque predecessor, was started in 1516. At 2/3 of the height, construction was stopped, probably due to lack of money. In 1583 protestant troops attacked Delden, a year later the town was set on fire. The church lost its roof and part of the vaulting. In 1602 the church was assigned to the Protestants. In the years 1968-1970, the church was completely restored. The entire interior was also renovated. The Oude Blasius is still used for church services.

The Basilica di San Nicolò - dedicated to St Nicholas of Bari - is located at the central square in the historic centre of Pietra Ligure. In the 18th century, construction of a new church began, in order to thank St Nicholas for the plague miracle. The building of the basilica - replacing an earlier church - started in 1750 and lasted 41 years. The church was blessed - although still unfinished - in 1791. The construction was finally completed after the rule of Napoleon. . In 1814, three heavy bells arrived by sea ready to be hoisted onto the bell tower. In 1863 a second bell tower was finished. Although the Baroque-Renaissance façade is simple and almost monochrome, entering the basilica one has the idea of being immersed in a work of art. The interior is truly a marvel for the eyes: the walls and ceiling are entirely decorated with religious motifs and scenes, and in the upper band of the walls, near the ceiling fresco, there is a series of niches and columns created using the 'trompe d'oeil' painting technique. The 16th century wooden choir and pulpit come from the Marseille Cathedral. The true marvel of the basilica is the immense and beautiful vault, 27.25 meters long and 23.50 meters wide.

Zeehondencentrum Pieterburen (Sealcentre Pieterburen) is a seal hospital. In the shelter are only animals who for whatever reason are sick, injured or are in trouble. The goal is to rehabilitate these animals and release them in their natural habitat. The Seal Centre -founded in 1971 - is one of the world's leading centers when it comes to the care and rehabilitation of seals. Zeehondencentrum Pieterburen started as a simple crèche evolved into a professional scientific research-based seal hospital, with accompanying facilities such as quarantines, a laboratory, a chemist and all the research equipment imaginable. All seals are released into the wild after their rehabilitation period.

While staying in Pietra Ligure, the event Pietra Ligure inFiore happened to be organised. During these days about 800 florists create masterpieces of flower mosaics on the street and squares of the town. Artists came from all over Italy as well as from Germany, France, Spain, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland and even Argentina. It was very interesting to follow their work throughout the day, from the tracing of the designs to the meticulous covering of the lines and spaces with flowers, both fresh and dried, right up to the composition of the large floral mosaic carpets. We are very happy having seen this extraordinary mix of art, culture and tradition.

Oudeschans is a village with a population of less than 100 people in the Dutch province of Groningen. The 16th-century fortification is now a state protected village area with a couple of national heritage sites, among which a 17th-century garrison church. The former garrison church was built in 1626 and originally served the military stationed here. It is an extremely austere hall church. In 1772, the church and the presbytery were joined together to form a whole, which is quite exceptional. The church of Oudeschans serves as a multifunctional centre for the village. It functions as polling station, village hall, concert hall and wedding hall. Once a year, on New Year's Eve, a service is held in the church.

Chiesa del Divo Martino (St. Martin Church) - the parish church of Portofino - is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. This striped church most likely dates back to the period between the 10th and 12th centuries. It is thought that it was built in Romanic-Lombard style, as a replacement for a primitive chapel located on the pier of Portofino. The consecration of the Chiesa del Divo Martino took place in 1548, on the occasion of the chest found under the main altar with relics of the Holy martyrs Dorothea, Cassiano and Vincenzo. Subsequently, it will be restored time and time again, and the current building is the result of the 19th century changes. The main facade is decorated with simple decorative elements and the window is a medallion that is located above the main entrance. On the right side of the building there is a square bell tower. The bright interior is decorated with beautiful frescoes, huge chandeliers and massive columns connected by arched openings. This church came on my bucket list after I saw a photo by Stephan Fey on Ipernity.

Windmill De Vlijt (The Diligence) has only been in existence since 2002. The smock mill is built on the base of round stone tower mill constructed in 1859. This was taken out of use in 1933 and almost completely demolished in 1965. De Vlijt is a so called stellingmolen . The smock mill has a four-storey brick base and the stage is at third-floor level, 9.10 meters above ground level. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The four common sails have a span of 21.80 meters. The base of the windmill is currently used as living accommodation and office space.

The coastal town of Portofino is located in the heart of the Italian Riviera with a tranquil crescent harbour with a hill of olive groves and small vineyards in its background. The harbour cradled by a piazza which in turn is rimmed by pastel coloured houses. Portofino is one of the most iconic Mediterranean places. As one of the most renowned tourist resorts in the world the town attracts thousands of travelers, including artists, politicians and celebrities of international level. Portofino’s birth is dating back to the Roman era, when it was known by the name Portus Delphini (Dolphin’s Harbour). The Benedictines established a monastery in the 1400s, only to abandon it in the 1500s after repeated raids by pirates. The building remained an empty ruin until the 1800s, when a titled European family restored it as a summer villa. In the 1850s, British aristocrats began making Portofino popular, believing that relics of St. George, England’s patron saint, rested in the parish church. Only 500 people live in Portofino: fishing families, shop owners, people with hotels or restaurants and a few who work in Genoa. During our visit, we climbed to the viewpoint next to the Church of St. George. Unfortunately, the view of the picturesque harbour was spoilt by some ugly large yachts.

Oldengaerde is a so called havezate - manor or fortified house - and the original building dates back to 1420. It was built by Reynolt van Echten and inhabited by the Van Echten family till 1660. That year it was sold to its son in law Cornelis van Dongen. In 1717 his son completely renovated Oldengaerde; the front became an extra floor and the current remarkable classicist façade. The garden was also constructed in a classicist French garden style. In 1808 ‘Havezate Oldengaerde’ was purchased by Aalt Willem van Holthe; the house kept in the possession of this family for many years. During the 19th century new renovations took place, the major one was the lowering of the roof timber and the replacement of the gable by a pediment. The owners of Oldengaerde - four daughters of Mrs. Willinge-Westra van Holthe - decided at the end of 2013 to hand over the management of the ‘havezate’ to ‘Het Drentse Landschap’, a provincial foundation for preservation of nature and cultural heritage. Oldengaerde nowadays is home to, among others, two holiday homes. Part of the manor remains in use by the original owners.

The current parish church Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista (Church of San Juan Bautista) was built between the year 1244 and 1307. It was remodeled in the Baroque period and more recently between 1963 and 1964. The facade , which dates from 1307, is made of alternating vestments of white marble and dark green serpentine. The central rose window in white marble is a splendid example of ornate Gothic. The lace-like ornamentation shows from the central button, eighteen smooth and twisted columns. The interior structure has a basilica plan and a division of three naves and for its characteristics, represents a pure Genoese Gothic style. The altar greater and the masonry wood , were commissioned in 1734. The Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista is one of the oldest churches in Cinque Terre.

The Cinque Terre is a string of five old fishing villages perched high on the rugged coastline of the east end of the Italian Riviera in Liguria. Until recently they were linked only by mule tracks and accessible only by rail or water. Nowadays Cinque Terre is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It's also one of the most sought-after travel destinations in all of Italy. The five villages are no longer the isolated hamlets they once were, but there’s still a feeling of authenticity, with few roads and perfectly preserved architecture. Monterosso al Mare - the most populated village of Cinque Terre - is divided into two parts, divided by a pedestrian tunnel. To the west the residential; area with a long sandy beach, railway station, hotels and restaurants. To the east the old town with a small harbour and beach and the typical tower-houses painted with bright colours and narrow medieval alleys. A first settlement is mentioned in the 9th century. Shortly after the year 1000, the inhabitants began to descend into the natural inlet and the small town began to increase in number and was protected by town walls. In 1545 the village was the victim of a terrible raid by Barbary pirates led by the Ottoman corsair Dragut. With the arrival of Napoleon, Monterosso followed the vicissitudes of French domination and the birth of the Kingdom of Italy. Monterosso al Mare was the last village in Cinque Terre we visited. To be honest it was the least exciting of the five villages. It feels more like an "average" summer resort with its long beach and several hotels.

The Cinque Terre is a string of five old fishing villages perched high on the rugged coastline of the east end of the Italian Riviera in Liguria. Until recently they were linked only by mule tracks and accessible only by rail or water. Nowadays Cinque Terre is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It's also one of the most sought-after travel destinations in all of Italy. The five villages are no longer the isolated hamlets they once were, but there’s still a feeling of authenticity, with few roads and perfectly preserved architecture. Vernazza is the only village of the famous Cinque Terre (Five Villages) to be included in the list of borghi più belli d'Italia (most beautiful villages of Italy). It is the most prosperous village of the Cinque Terre, partly due to the somewhat larger harbour, guarded by a watch tower, which was once part of the impressive Castello Doria. Vernazza has a long history: the village was probably founded around the year 1000. It was ruled by the Republic of Genoa starting in 1276. One of the families that helped to found Vernazza is said to have given its name to the village: the Gens Vulnetia. Vernazza is said to be a corruption of this family name. The church Santa Margherita d'Antiochia, which was built in 1318, lies directly on the village square and harbour. The octagonal, 40-meters bell tower rises proudly, like a lighthouse for the colourful fishing boats. We were exploring Cinque Terre by train. Believe it or not, when we got out of Vernazza station we came across of Dutch acquaintances from our home town among the thousands and thousands of tourists.

Graft - then still called Greft - is first mentioned around the year 1100. At that time it was located much more to the west, possibly along the Vuile Graft , a small lake in the neighbourhood. Later the village was built on its present location. Originally the inhabitants lived from arable and livestock farming. Later the women worked mostly on small farms and the men on herring boats. On the town hall of Graft both means of livelihood can still be found: on the street side the coat of arms of Graft with the cow and on the south side a herring boat. In the 17th century Graft was a prosperous village. This is easily visible from the old town hall, built in 1613: a real eye catcher with three stepped gables built in Dutch Renaissance style. It was not only used as a meeting room for the village council, but also served to give the village more prestige. Although the name of the master builder is not known, because of its style it is thought it must have been a pupil of the famous Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser. At the end of the 19th century the building was in poor condition; around 1900 the top facade on the street side had disappeared. In 1909/1910 it was extensively restored, followed by a major facelift in 1982/1983. It now serves as an exhibition space (annex to the museum In 't Houten Huis in De Rijp), wedding location and meeting room.

The Chiesa di San Pietro (St. Peter Church) was built between 1334 and 1351 and has a very sober sandstone façade. The wonderful white Carrara marble rose window has a very elaborate shape, with all different designs and, in the central hole, a deer symbol of the village. The cornice is “saw-toothed”, with hanging arches, some of which are decorated with animal heads. The parish church - with both Gothic and Baroque style characteristics – is one of the most interesting monument of Corniglia and Cinque Terre. The interior - with a basilica plan with three naves - underwent some interventions in the Baroque style. It offers a finely crafted altarpiece and 18th-century paintings.

The ‘Broeker Veiling’ (Broeker Auction) is a Dutch national monument dating back to the year of 1912, when the beautiful auction room was built with details in Jugendstile-style. The impressive mooring halls were added in 1925. The complete wooden structure is built on 1900 wooden piles above the water. These mooring halls protected waiting boats with vegetables for rain and sunshine. This oldest sail-through fruit- and vegatable auction in the world was used till 1973. On this location the Dutch auction – also callede “clock auction” or “open outcry” originated in 1887. Nowadays it is a museum, where one also can take part as a real trader in the auction room.

Due to its hilltop location Corniglia is different to the other Cinque Terre villages. When traveling by train there are two ways to reach the village: a shuttle bus and the Scalinata Lardarina , a stairway with 382 steps, which is divided in 33 ramps. When we arrived in Corniglia, there was a long queue for the (small) bus. We therefore decided to take the stairs. Quite a climb, especially on a warm sunny day. But fortunately, there were plenty of places to stop, enjoy the view and to take photos of the many flowers along the stairs.

Famous Dutch architect Piet Blom built the first kubuswoningen (cube houses) of the Netherlands in Helmond. The first three cube houses were built in 1974 and 1975, as a foretaste of a larger project that would be realized in the years to follow. The project was classified as “experimental” and as a consequence, it was eligible for more government funding. The 18 houses of the follow-up project surrounded a theater (‘t Speelhuis) as one architectonical whole. The theater consisted of 37 cubes and contained three auditoria. In 1974 the foundation stone was laid. On December 3, the construction works reached the highest point of the first cube house. On December 29, 2011, the theater was destroyed in a large fire that also hit the some of the adjoining cube houses. The two damaged cube houses were restored in 2013/2014.

The Cinque Terre is a string of five old fishing villages perched high on the rugged coastline of the east end of the Italian Riviera in Liguria. Until recently they were linked only by mule tracks and accessible only by rail or water. Nowadays Cinque Terre is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It's also one of the most sought-after travel destinations in all of Italy. The five villages are no longer the isolated hamlets they once were, but there’s still a feeling of authenticity, with few roads and perfectly preserved architecture. Corniglia is the central village and also the smallest of the Cinque Terre. It is unique compared to the other villages for its position, as it is built on top of a cliff 100 meters above the Mediterranean Sea. That makes the village known as the “Balcony of the Cinque Terre”. N ext to that Corniglia is special because it is the only village of the Cinque Terre where you are not immediately in the middle of the village when you get off the train. Therefore it is a village that many tourists skip. Artifacts found in Pompeii, have historians dating the origins of Corniglia all the way back to the Roman Age. Markings on terracotta containers have helped them deduce even the origins of the name: the words “Gens Cornelia”, which translates into “from the (Roman) family Cornelia”. It is thought that Coniglia was probably a colony of slaves who took on the name Corenila, from the slaveholder who gave them their freedom. Corniglia has a long and rich agricultural tradition. The village is surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces. Its architecture is closer to that of a rural inland village than that of a coastal village.