Jaap van 't Veen's photos

The Reformed church of Krommeniedijk was built on the remains of probably three other churches and was inaugurated in 1755. It is a single nave hall church in late Renaissance style. Apart from thirteen stained glass windows with representations from the New Testament, the village church houses a number of centuries-old objects, such as a pulpit from the last quarter of the 17th century, pews from the 18th century and three chandeliers of copper from the third quarter of the 17th century (I have to come back again, because during my visit the church was closed). The tower of the church is owned by the municipality of Zaanstad. During the French occupation, at the beginning of the 19th century, many church properties were confiscated by the state. Most of those possessions were returned after that period, except for the church towers, which were used as a communication point. The ringing bell in the tower was stolen in the World War II by accomplices of the occupying forces in order to be melted down into weapons. In 1951 a new cast bell was hung in the tower. In 1968 the church of Krommeniedijk - which has no official name - became a national monument. Since 1989 the building has been managed by a foundation ( Stichting Beheer Hervormde Kerk in Krommeniedijk ). In addition to church services, the building is also used for non religious activities, such as weddings, funeral services and exhibitions.

The exact year of construction the octagonal polder windmill De Woudaap is not known, but on 14 March 1651 a permit was granted for the embankment of the peat bog area the Woudpolder , then called De Wouden . De Woudaap must have been built in or shortly after 1651. After construction of the mill the excess water of the polder could be pumped away and the meadows could be put to better use. In 1864, De Woudaap was given a screw instead of a scoop wheel, which increased the capacity of the mill. The polder mill was kept in operation professionally until the year 2002. With the death of the last miller in that year this came to an end. In 2008 a new electric pumping station was built, which takes care of the water management of the polder. De Woudaap itself is nowadays put into operation on a voluntary basis. The mill is fully operational and will contribute to the drainage whenever it is possible or necessary. The mill can handle up to 70m³ of water per minute.

Although the name De Oude Knegt (The Old Servant) suggests otherwise, the current windmill is relatively young and dates just from the year 2004. However, its history goes back for centuries. As early as 1333 documents speak of a corn mill in the village of Akersloot. It is almost certain that the very first post mill was burned down by the Spaniards during the siege of Alkmaar (1573). In 1580, the village council of Akersloot decided to rebuild a corn mill, which would be owned by the village community. This mill was probably in operation until 1817, when De Oude Knegt is mentioned.In that year the mill was replaced by an octagonal mill, which was moved from elsewhere. This mill remained in operation for more than hundred years. In 1925 the mill was disassembled and partly demolished. A local initiative ensured that the mill was rebuilt on a new spot in 1981. For many years the mill supplied flour to private customers and to a number of bakers in the area. But at the turn of the year 2000 - 2001 the mill burned down completely. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, the mill could be rebuilt. In 2004 the project was completed and De Oude Knegt was festively put into operation as a corn mill. De Oude Knegt is open to visitors (Wednesdays and Saturdays) and flour products are sold in the miller's house.

If visiting the village of De Rijp (or nearby Graft ) it is almost impossible to imagine that herring, whale and merchant ships from these villages could sail directly to the sea. These nautical activities brought unprecedented prosperity to the villages. The magnificent city hall and the homes of wealthy ship owners bear witness to the style and glory of the past steeped in a long tradition of whale and herring fishing. After draining of the surrounding lakes the herring industry disappeared and it was done with the wealth of the villages. Nowadays De Rijp is a not so well known village, which attracts not that many tourists with still centuries of history. First of all its unique town hall, which is dating back to the year of 1630. The old part of the village offers also picturesque farms, typical green half-wooden houses along small canals and narrow streets.

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 Tweede Broekermolen is a windmill, which is very likely built in 1631. With four other mills, the mill drained the 1,800 ha large Uitgeester- and Heemskerkerbroek polder. The windmill is an octagonal polder windmill with a low, stone base and a wooden, thatched upper structure. From 1866 onwards, the mill worked with a mortar, which had a diameter of 2 meters. In 1874, it was decided to increase the drainage of the polder with a steam pumping station, which was electrified in 1925. In 1874, it was decided to increase the drainage of the polder with a steam pumping station, which was electrified in 1925. Some years later, the two remaining polder mills were sold. It was not until 1975 that the Tweede Broekermolen was made operational again. From 1989 on a major renovation took place. The mill - also in use as a home - is still operational, but only works on a voluntary basis.

De Parken is a neighbourhood of the city of Apeldoorn. This residential area arose between the old village and the small settlement around Het Loo Palace. The neighborhood is named after the more or less contiguous parks: Oranjepark, Wilhelminapark, Prinsenpark and Verzetsstrijderspark. In the 19th century the area had three estates: De Pasch, De Vlijt and Sophia's Hoeve. From 1874 until the beginning of the 20th century, these were acquired by project developers. They built the public parks and roads and sold plots of land for the construction of villas. Most of the houses were built between 1880 and 1920. Initially, the neighbourhood was very popular with wealthy pensioners, manufacturers and senior civil servants from the west of the Netherlands. Even today the Parkenbuurt is a very popular residential area, because of its location close to the center of Apeldoorn, but also because of the green park-like surroundings, with relatively large gardens and tree-lined streets. Pictures: Prinsenpark: PiP - Monument “Het Apeldoornse Bosch” by Ralph Prins ( www.apeldoornschebosch.nl/in-the-vicinity/monument-prinsenpark-apeldoorn ) Oranjepark: PiP - Central war monument “De man met de vlag” by Cor Hund Verzetsstrijderspark: PiP - Artwork “Constructie 3” by Cyril Lixenberg

Spaarndam is a small quaint village, which was was created around a dam where the river Spaarne flows into the IJ. This dam was built by count Floris V van Holland in 1285 (he was also responsible for the construction of castle Muiderslot . The oldest part of the village lies around the Westkolk . There you will also find the Kolksluis , the oldest working lock in Europe dating back to the year 1280. The village collected toll at the dam and people made their living from fishing. From 1812 to 1927, the western (oldest) part of Spaarndam was an independent municipality. Nowadays it belongs to the municipality of Haarlem. Spaarndam has always been strongly connected to water. It is also famous because of a story within the 1865 American novel, Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates . The story within the book is about a Dutch boy, "The Hero of Haarlem," who stuck his finger in a dike to prevent the town from flooding. The story became a popular legend in America. In 1950 the local tourist bureau put a statue of this character on the dam in Spaarndam (PiP5).

The Kerk van Ezinge (Church of Ezinge) is a single nave Romanesque church, which was built in the 13th century. The free-standing tower also dates from this period. The original entrances to the church are bricked-up. On the south side was the entrance for men - with a separate entrance for priests - and on the north side the entrance for women. The church was restored in 1959 and is recognized as a national monument. The detached tower and the house built against the tower also have the status of a national monument. The small building beside the tower was originally a vergery and school. In 2011-2013 church and organ were restored again. The buildings are located on the edge of a partially excavated wierde (a man made mound), protecting them against the sea. I have used some pictures from 2007, because nowadays trees largely hide the buildings almost completely (PiP1). Ezinge is a village in the north of the province of Groningen; it is the oldest, constantly inhabited village in the Netherlands and is in archaeological context referred to as "the Pompeii of the North". The village is a protected village area

The gardens of the Muiderslot (Muiden Castle) are located next to the castle and are often 'forgotten' by visitors. I can recommend to take a look in the gardens; a lovely place to enjoy and relax. The gardens of Muiderslot were first designed and created in the 17th century: to enjoy, to show off and to eat out. In that era it was always practical and necessary to have vegetables, herbs and fruit nearby. A berceau (beech alley) divides the garden into two sections. Windows have been made into the hedges, allowing a look into the garden rooms. The ‘green tunnel’ allowed the lord of the castle and his guests to stroll in the shade. The garden layout with its sober lines, shaped hedges, trees and rare plants served to impress many a guest. The vegetable garden ( Warmoeshof ) still offers (forgotten) vegetables. It was the best way to ensure a steady food supply since Muiderslot was far away from the markets. In the herb garden ( Kruidhof ) kitchen, medicinal, and ornamental herbs are grown. The medicinal herbs supplied the castle pharmacy.

Kasteel Muiderslot (Muiden Castle) is a moated castle, which is dating back to the year of 1285. Count Floris V commissioned the construction of this stone fortress. It is one of the oldest and best preserved castles in the Netherlands. It is also very well known (by foreigners) due to its location near Amsterdam. Soon after its construction - in 1296 - the castle was destroyed by Bishop Willem van Mechelen. In 1380 a new castle was built on the ruins of the old one. Muiderslot has been a court building, a prison and the official residence of castle wardens. One of the most famous of these wardens was the author and poet, P.C. Hooft. He lived at the castle from 1609 to 1674. During this period, the Muiderslot was an important center for science and art and the meeting place for a group of prominent citizens known as the Muiderkring . At the end of the 19th century Muiderslot was completely dilapidated and even came close to being demolished. Fortunately that never happened because King Willem I got involved. The castle was renovated thoroughly by the famous Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers. In 1878 the castle became a national museum, one of the first in the Netherlands. The castle is part of the so called Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line of Amsterdam), a ring of fortifications around the city. Since 1996 it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

At the end of the 19th century large pieces of the estate Berg en Bosch were bought by the Belgian merchant J.C. Wils (there is still a J.C Wilslaan in Apeldoorn). He had conifers planted, which were used for mining. After his death, the municipality of Apeldoorn bought the site. Part of it was used for the construction of a residential area; the other part remained available as a walking forest for city residents and tourists. In the twenties of the 20th century the first initiatives for Park Berg & Bos were made. During the crisis years (1934) the large pond was dug by hand by unemployed workers from the municipality as a procuring of employment project. The 250-hectare park adjacent to “Het Loo Royal Estate” offers a mixture of plants, trees and animals from the Veluwe. Plant borders close to the entrance define the image and paths around the pond invite for a walk. The further you get, the more the Park Berg & Bos, will resemble the surrounding nature of the Veluwe with its extensive forests and small heathlands. Since 1971 part of the park has been used by the famous Apenheul , a zoo with free roaming primates. Except Apenheul the park can be visited for free.

Paleis Het Loo (Het Loo Palace) was built in 1686 for stadtholder Willem III and his wife queen Mary of England. The palace was the summer residence of the Dutch stadtholders, kings and queens from 1686 to 1975. Princess Margriet last inhabited parts of the palace. Het Loo was planned and created as a combination of a palace and baroque garden. This garden - designed by Claude Desgotz - was more than a royal hobby; it was a symbol for the position and power of the royal couple. All elements in the garden, such as the garden statues and the fountains, fit within this symbolic meaning. Flowers and plants play are important elements in the gardens of Paleis Het Loo . In the 17th century, a garden with exotic - and therefore expensive - flowers and plants meant that the owner had the wealth and contacts to have such a garden laid out and maintained. In the 18th century the baroque garden was replaced by an English landscape garden. However, the original gardens were restored from 1980 to 1984, when the palace and gardens became a national museum. The starting point was preserved design drawings, as well as excavations on site. Some of the plants at Het Loo change every year, both in the spring and in the summer. The aim is to achieve the most accurate possible reconstruction of the original garden. (During our last visit the garden was decorated with four monumental contemporary art works - 'The Garden of Earthly Worries’ - designed by the Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind. It is the first time that contemporary art is on show in the garden of Paleis Het Loo .)

The Reformed church was built in 1865 and replaced a church building dating from the year 1692. The church was built in English neo-Gothic style, using an ochre-yellow stone. The building has a striking main spire flanked by 4 smaller corner towers. During the restoration of around 1975 the church was painted white, but in 2004 the church regained its original colour. The church is situated next to Castle Neerijnen . In 1996 volunteers started renovating the completely neglected castle garden (PiP3).

The Wurmlinger Kapelle - officially named Sankt-Remigius-Kapelle - is located on the top of the Kapellenberg (474 m). It is the landmark of the region. In 1050 a Romanesque burial chapel of the founder, Count Anselm von Calw was erected. A Gothic successor building burned down in 1644. The baroque chapel, which has been preserved until today, was built in 1680 and consecrated in 1685. It still has a Romanesque crypt from the early 12th century. The chapel is accessible from the village of Wurmlingen along a Way of the Cross, which overcomes a height difference of 130 meters. Around the chapel is a small village cemetery, where one has wonderful views over the village of Wurmlingen and the surrounding landscape.

Zoutkamp is a village with a long history. The name "Soltcampum" was first used in 1418. Most probably because there was salt mined in this area: "sol" means salt and "campum" means fenced field. In the Eighty Years' War (1568 – 1648), Zoutkamp was a defensive fortification and after that it was mainly a bustling fishing village situated on the Lauwerszee. Once Zoutkamp was the 'gateway' to the city of Groningen, as the passage via the Lauwerszee was for ships the only route from sea to the city. Until 1960 Zoutkamp had a large fishing port, but after the Lauwerszee was closed off the village lost this important position. The village still has the appearance of an ancient fishing village, thanks to the monumental locks and still widely used old inner harbour. There are still fishing boats moored next to a striking row of brightly coloured buildings with shops, an eel smokehouse and a café/restaurant.

Not the most impressive, beautiful or oldest church, but most probably one of the most remarkable churches in the Netherlands is Kerkje Harkema . Around 1960, livestock farmer Albert Harkema became the owner of a monastery farm and the surrounding farmlands. Harkema soon started with digging and expanding of the old moat around the farm and in miniature he imitated the head-neck-torso farm as a shelter for the ducks. Later on he constructed the tower, followed by the construction of a miniature version of the former hospice of the nearby Abbey of Aduard. He used 12.000 bricks from Belgium, the organ from the Dutch village of IJhorst and Maria-statues of from more southern places. Forty years later his long cherished wish - building his own church - became reality. A hidden gem in the middle of nowhere, surrounded from all sides by more than 2.000 years old landscape. Next to the church is a teahouse, also built by Harkema.

De Onlanden is a 2.500 ha nature and water storage area, which is enclosed between the sand of Drenthe and the clay of Groningen. It is a low moor area, where water from several brooks used to be stored before flowing to the sea. In earlier times it was one large peat area. Nobody could pass through it and it was unsuitable for agriculture. It was not until the Middle Ages that the first attempts to dewater the area were made. Slowly they succeeded in lowering the water level and systematically the area could be put into use; first only in the summer and from the 19th century onwards throughout the year, although sometimes the moorland was completely flooded. During the last century, the area has been fully used as pastureland. In 2004 plans were made to give the area back to nature. Nowadays it has changed into an immense wet world with grasslands, swamps, marsh forests and creeks. Brooks flow again through De Onlanden and a swamp is developing develop with naturally changing water levels. De Onlanden itself are difficult to visit, but we did find one path - Onlandsedijk - through the swamp with a lot of reed, but also with several species of flowers.