Jaap van 't Veen's photos

The Grote Kerk (Great Church) of Hindeloopen must be very old, as it was already destroyed in 1570 during the Eighty Years' War. The church – dedicated to Saint Gertrude -was rebuilt around 1590. The church tower dates from this period and was completed in 1593. In 1632 this church was replaced by a larger building and twentysix years later it was extended southwards into a two-aisled hall church. The extension was demolished in 1892 due to dilapidation. The spire was lost in 1701 after a lightning strike during a service. In 1724, the current spire was placed on top of the tower. On top of the octagonal spire is a dome with a wind vane in the shape of a sailing ship. In 1685 bells were placed in the tower, which were made by the bell foundry of Petrus Overney in Leeuwarden. During World War II the bells were stolen. One of the bells was recovered after the liberation. The entrance portal on the south side was made in 1658 by Claes Lykles. In the pediment above the coat of arms of Hindeloopen and the year 1658. During the renovation of 1892, this entrance was moved to the south side of the church. The Grote Kerk is recognized as a national monument.

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 Grote of Sint-Gertrudiskerk (Great or Saint Gertrudis Church) is a huge late Gothic hall church, which is quite unusual for this part of the Netherlands. The late church was built at the end of the 15th century (1480) by adding a choir to its single-nave predecessor. Shortly afterwards a transept was also built. Around 1515, work began on replacing the old one-aisled cruciform with the present three-aisled hall church. Due to a war, work was only restarted in 1523. The nave was never completed and in 1615 was closed by a wooden wall - which remained until the restoration of 1939/1951 - leaving the still unfinished tower standing at some distance in front of the church. In 1613 a crown with an onion-shaped dome was added to the tower. The Grote of Sint-Gertrudiskerk I still used for services by the Protestant church of Workum. .

Sneek was founded in the 10th century and became Sneek became several city rights in the 13th century, which became official in 1456. Sneek was (and still is) one of the eleven Frisian cities. This was also the beginning of a period of blooming trade for the city that would last until about 1550. In 1492 construction of a moat and wall around the city began. In those days Sneek was the only walled city in Friesland. The Waterpoort (Water gate) was probably built at the same time as the city wall. The gate served to close off access by water to the town. The water gate was built on the Hoogendsterpijp (a pijp is a narrow water passage). In 1613 the gate was converted into an ornamental gate because it no longer had a military function. From then on, the gate had its current appearance. The architect is unknown. In 1757 a thorough rebuilding followed and in 1785 the gate was given a guard. The gate consists of two octagonal towers, with in between a bridge across the waterway and above the bridge a gatekeeper's house. In 1877 it was restored according to a design by the nationally renowned architect Isaac Gosschalk, who undid the 18th-century changes and restored the early 17th-century state. He gave a free interpretation of the original middle section, which strongly determined the current appearance of the Waterpoort . Sneek had four other water gates and two land gates, all of which were demolished in the 19th century. The Waterpoort remained and is now the symbol of Sneek, known worldwide and the pride of the city.

Sloten originated in the 13th century as a settlement near a small, stone-fortified house - called a stins , which is typical for Friesland. The house was owned by the family Van Harinxma thoe Slooten and stood at the crossing of the trading road from Bentheim to Stavoren. Sloten was first mentioned having city rights in a charter of 30 August 1426. In 1523 the little town was the last Frisian fortress to fall into the hands of the heirs of the Counts of Holland. . Sloten also held a key position in the Eighty Years' War. A Spanish plot to conquer the city by hiding men in a beer ship failed. Sloten was located on an important waterway between the city of Sneek and the (former) Zuiderzee and also to the Hanseatic cities along the river IJssel. In Sloten this waterway crossed the road from Germany to Stavoren, a large and important trading city in the middle ages. At this crossing, one could charge users a toll and exercise strategic control. Nowadays Sloten is no longer of strategic importance, but is popular with water sports enthusiasts and day-trippers. The city has retained almost all of the original ramparts and the entirety of the original structure. The fortress was designed and built by the well-known Dutch fortress builder, Menno van Coehoorn. Because of its onion shape Sloten is called Sipelstêd (onion town). Sloten has less than 800 inhabitants and is the smallest of the eleven cities in Friesland. The Frisian name for Sloten is Sleat.

A map of Sloten - one of the Eleven Frisian towns - from 1523 shows a windmill in its present location for the first time. Windmill De Kaai was built in 1755 and is the successor to the earlier standerd mill that stood on this spot. For many years it was known as De Korenmolen (The Corn Mill). It was given its ‘new’ name in 2006, derived from its position by the Lemster Poort - one of the two water gates in Sloten; where it stands on a bastion of the city wall. De Kaai is a smock mill on a brick base with a thatched smock and cap. Its stage is 3.40 meters above ground level. The mill is winded by tailpole and winch. The sails have a span of 18.10 meters. De Kaai still grinds wheat into flour in the traditional and authentic manner. On Saturdays, the mill is open for viewing and flour sales. The mill is listed as a Dutch national heritage site.

The Oudemirdumerklif is a nature reserve in Gaasterland , a hilly region in the southwest of the Dutch province of Friesland . Gaasterland derives its name from the word gaast , which refers to the sandy heights formed here during the last two ice ages The Oudemirdumerklif - one of the three cliffs in this region - is a remnant of a glacier tongue from the “Saale ice age”, between 200.000 and about 120.000 years ago. During this ice age, moraines of boulder clay, a tough loamy mass with scattered larger stones and gravel, were formed. The cliffs in Gaasterland were created because erosion took place where the waves of the former Zuiderzee reached these boulder mounds. Wave erosion swept away boulder clay at the bottom of the cliff. Because of the constant crumbling under the influence of the sea, the slopes remained bare before the Zuiderzee was closed off in 1932. After the Zuiderzee became IJsselmeer , the water level remained constant. The steep sides became more slanted due to crumbling and erosion by water. Due to the saturation of the water, the cliff - with a height of about 6 meters - and the beach became overgrown with trees, bushes and plants. Because of the salt which remained in the soil, salt-loving plants continue to grow there to this day. Because of its scientific value, the Oudemirdumerklif was one of the first acquisitions of Natuurmonumenten (a Dutch society for nature conservation) in the 1920s. You can reach the Oudemirdumerklif via the Minne Minnespad .There you walk between so-called garden walls: walls of stacked grass sod meant to keep the cattle in the meadow. These walls are unique in the world, as there are only two other locations in the Netherlands.

Search and find the benches !! Elfbergen is with 175 hectares the largest forest in Gaasterland. It is one of the forests that Esq Van Swinderen has laid out in the 19th century. The forest has coniferous and broad-leaved types of wood of all ages. In 1925 it came into possession of the municipality of Gaasterland, who sold it in 1976 to Staatsbosbeheer (a Dutch government organisation for forestry and the management of nature reserves). During the crisis years of the 20th century, a labour camp for young unemployed people called Werkkamp Elfbergen was established on this site. The large pond in Elfbergen with a wooden bridge was one of the works these young people carried out between 1935 and 1937. It took a total of 9,000 man-days to excavate the pond. The pond is 110 meters long and 45 meters wide, with a narrowing in the middle over which a bridge has been built.

The first mention of a church in Lemmer dates back to the 13th century. The foundation stone of the current Tsjerke oan it Dok (Church at the Harbour) was laid more than 300 years ago. According to the numerical wall anchors on the tower, the church was built in 1716. In 1759 the church was enlarged with a transept on the north side. The tower of he curch is half-embedded. The people of Lemmer call the tower of this church the Lemster toer (the Lemster tower>. If they can see it from a distance, they know they are (almost) home again. The original tower clock from 1598 was removed by order of the German occupiers during the World War II and has not been returned. After the liberation, the Tsjerke oan it Dok received a new clock. A memorial stone was unveiled after the war in the facade above the tower entrance, in memory of the approximately 50 war victims from Lemmer. Unfortunately, the church – as so often in the Netherlands – was not open to visitors, so I was not able to admire the interior.

Bronkhorst - one of the smallest cities in the Netherlands - has a very old church, popularly called Bronkhorsterkapel . The chapel is mentioned for the first time in a document in the year of 1344. The chapel was founded by "Gijsbrecht V van Bronckhorst" and his wife. The document even mentioned a "newly founded chapel", which shows that the chapel seems to have had a predecessor. The pastor of nearby Steenderen gave permission in 1360 to build a larger chapel on condition that the rights of the parish church would be maintained. In 1633 a town fire raged in Bronkhorst, which also damaged the chapel. In the 18th century, the church fell into disrepair. Religious services were no longer held and it was even used as a warehouse for a while. In 1843, the building was converted into a school. In 1954, the Reverend "A.M. Nortier" pleaded for the chapel to be used for religious services again and funds were made available for its restoration. This restoration was carried out in 1960 and the following years, based on an old drawing from 1742. The Bronkhorsterkapel - a brick hall church in Gothic style - is a monument of great cultural and historical significance in the Netherlands and was designated a national monument in 1966. In 2011, the chapel was transferred to the Stichting Oude Gelderse Kerken (a foundation dedicated to the preservation of old monumental churches in the province of Gelderland). The chapel is no longer used for regular church services, but serves as a unique wedding location. In addition, exhibitions and small-scale music performances take place.

The Bronkhorster Molen is a corn mill built in 1844. The mill – from brick with a round shape - is a so called beltmolen (a belt is man made mound); the mound has a height of 3.30 meters. Already in the year of 1482 there stood a postmill on this spot, which burned down in 1844. The lords of Bronkhorst had the right to use the wind until 1795. The inhabitants of Bronkhorst were obliged to have their corn grinded in their mill soke. The mill was in operation as a grinding unit until just after the Second World War, after which it fell into disrepair. In 1960, the mill was partially restored and in 1989 it underwent another major renovation. In the meantime, the mill is owned by the municipality of Bronckhorst. The mill is capable of grinding and is operated by volunteers. In the mound of the mill there is a shop where various kinds of flour are sold.

The Heldringkerk was built in 1857-1858, commissioned by the Reverend Ottho Gerhard Heldring. The foundation stone was laid by his daughter on 29 August 1857. The consecration of the church took place in 1858 during the feast of Pentecost. The church is one of the oldest buildings of Hoenderloo . Heldring visited the village of Hoenderloo in 1839 and decided to offer a better future to the inhabitants, who still lived partly in sod huts. He did this by building a school, digging a well and constructing the church and clergy house. The simple hall church - in neo-Gothic style - is characterised by plastered and white-painted facades. The church is built in a hilly area and is therefore popularly called de witte kerk op de bult (“the white church on the hill”). But the white colour was only given to the originally grey church in 1980. Since 2000 the church is a national monument.

Image: view of the city Deventer from the opposite side of the river IJssel. Deventer is one of the oldest Dutch cities, which was founded around the year of 768 by the English missionary Lebuinus, who built a wooden church on the east bank of the river IJssel. The church did not last long and was burned by marauding Saxons 4 years later. Deventer became city rights in 956, after which fortifications were built around the city. On one of these strongholds the href="https://www.test.ipernity.com/doc/294067/47395972">Bolwerksmolen was built. Due to its advantageous position along the IJssel the city was a flourishing trade centre between 1000 and 1500, because of its harbour. Around 1500 the city joined the Hanseatic League, which brought more wealth and prosperity. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the river flow slowed and became shallow. This had a great effect on the level of trade that Deventer could conduct. At the same time trade was increasing in other areas of the Netherlands and this as well as the Eighty Years War played a role in the decline of the wealth of the city. In the 1800’s Deventer was the site of many industries starting up, such as an iron foundry, heavy machinery production, bicycle and can production as well as textile industries. During World War II, the port and industrial area were heavily damaged, although the old city came through the war largely unscathed. Nowadays Deventer still offers a great collection of heritage with for instance the oldest brick house, the oldest park and the oldest academic library of the Netherlands.

Blokzijl was mentioned for the first time in 1524 and in 1561 the village became the right as receiver of the toll by Spanish king Philip II of Spain. At the end of the 16th century Blokzijl became more and more an important trading post for peat, which was won in the hinterland and provided a lot of activity. After the Siege of Steenwijk (1580-1581) during the Eighty Years’ War, a fortified lock (in local dialect called zijl or siel ) was built and the town was walled, creating a base for the war fleet and a base for operations for the Dutch troops against the Spaniards. The name Blokzijl - meaning fortified lock - originates from that time. In the 17th century industry developed on and on in the form of breweries shipyards and other craft sectors. For some years Blokzijl even became city rights. The monumental houses with stepped gables date from that time. Blokzijl is a small town with great charm due to the narrow streets, patrician houses, many picturesque corners and its beautiful harbour basin. Until 1973 it was a separate municipality, but nowadays is part of Steenwijkerland.

The Engbertsdijksvenen owes its name to the Engberts farming family. The area used to consist of a four to seven meter thick layer of peat that was formed around 10,000 years ago. The original peat bog was about 180,000 hectares in size. Peat extraction started relatively late and was a small-scale operation until the 19th century. Farmers used the peat for their own needs, for instance to stoke their stoves. At the beginning of the 20th century, the peat extraction of the Engbertsdijksvenen was done on a large scale and lasted until the middle of the last century. From 1953, Staatsbosbeheer (a Dutch government organization for forestry and the management of nature reserves) bought land in the Engbertsdijksvenen . Peat was last excavated in 1984. The area covers an area of 1,000 ha. A small core of peat of about 17 ha still has its original thickness. Only 25 hectares of "living" raised bog remain in the Netherlands. The Engbertsdijksvenen has been given a protected status in several respects. The Staatsnatuurmonument (National natural monument) has also been designated a Natura 2000 area. It is therefore part of a European network of high-quality nature reserves. It is an international wetland and the largest and most important raised bog area in Western Europe.

Schokland - the first UNESCO world heritage site in the Netherlands - is an island in the polder landscape of the Noordoostpolder. The island is 4 kilometres long and 300-500 metres wide. In the past Schokland was located in the middle of the former Zuiderzee, which washed away large parts of the island during storms. People lived there - from prehistoric times and the Middle Ages until modern times - in spite of the threatening water and the poverty. Until around 1450, Schokland was not, in fact, an island but a swampy peatland with a few dry hills here and there. The whole area around Schokland was probably prepared for agriculture even before the 14th century. When the rising water washed away large pieces of the peatland, it became a peninsula. Schokland only became a real island when the (former) Zuiderzee swallowed up the last piece. People were already living on Schokland 12.000 years ago. They lived there as hunter-gatherers and fishermen. During the Middle Ages there were mainly farmers here who kept cattle and grew cereal crops. From the 12th century inhabitants lived on terpen (man-made mounds). At high tide or during a storm tide these hills were the only safe places on the island. During the 17th century, agriculture declined because of the loss of land to the sea. Trade, shipping and fishing became more and more important. In 1859, the islanders lost their battle against the water for good. The Dutch government decided that the inhabitants had to leave the island. Not only because of the continuing danger of floods, but also because of the poverty. Around 635 Schokkers moved to the mainland. Schokland remained in existence, but in 1942 - following the reclamation of the Noordoostpolder - it became an island on dry land. The Waterstaatskerk (also called Enserkerk ) was built in 1834 by the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management, as a replacement for a small square church that had stood on this site until that time. This square building was so badly damaged by a storm in 1825 that it had to be demolished. The church served until the evacuation of Schokland. After that, it was used as a warehouse and sleeping place for seasonal workers. Nowadays this church - a national monument - is part of the Museum Schokland and is also used for weddings and classical concerts.

The Stefanuskerk (Church of St. Stephen) is a Gothic church, which was built at the beginning of the 15th century as a Catholic church. The church was dedicated to the martyr Stephen, just like the mother church in Beilen. After the transfer of the church to the Protestant community around 1600, the name was somewhat forgotten. Since 2007, the church has officially been called Stefanuskerk again. The tower of the Stefanuslerk was built earlier. The lower part of the tower is dating back to the 13th century. Later, in 1778, the upper part of the tower was built. The tower has three bells, one of an anonymus bellfounder from early 14th century. The village church of Westerbork has existed for over 800 years. In an old document from 1206, the "capella te Burcht" was already mentioned. It was probably a small wooden chapel, covered with straw. This historical fact was the reason for the Westerbork community to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the village in 2006. Around 1360 the wooden chapel was replaced by a stone church, which was then somewhat smaller than the current church.

The first stone church in Oude Niedorp was built on a mound around 1250. The church had to be demolished in the 14th century due to subsidence of the peat soil. The 'present' church was built against the tower, which had remained. The church was dedicated to St. Werenfridus until the time of the Reformation. At the end of the 15th century two naves were added to the ship, which were pulled down again in the 18th century. After the stone tower was demolished and rebuilt twice due to subsidence, a wooden tower was added to the church in 1814. After restoration of the church in the 16th and 17th centuries, a last general restoration followed in 1953/54. On 3 April 1977, the church was destroyed by lightning. The walls - dating from the year 1648 - were retained, which the municipality - the current owner - is trying to preserve as a monument from the past after a renovation in 2011/2013. The ruined church in Oude Niedorp is one of the four ruined churches in the Netherlands.