Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Pays bas

Church of Schildwolde (Kerk van Schildwolde) dates from the 17th century. The present church was built on the foundations of an older church from the 13th century. The Reformed church is a simple aisle less church built of brick, which is plastered. The church was consecrated in 1686. The most striking part of the complex is the detached bell tower, dating back at least to the year 1289 and once belonging to the former church. The roof of the spire is not made of roof tiles, but entirely built in brick. The tower has a height of 46 metres. The tower in Schildwolde is one of the two remaining so called ‘juffertorens’ (‘damsel towers’) in the province of Groningen. There is a legend about the ‘juffertorens’, saying: once there were three very rich but 'sinful' sisters (the ‘damsels') who thought only of their appearance. They regretted their sins and promised they would each build a tower as penance for their sins. But most probably the name ‘juffertoren’ is less prosaic: this kind of narrow tapering church towers were called after a ‘juffer’, which in Dutch also is a long tapering pine trunk.

In 1664 the Frisian Nassau’s bought some heathland east of Heerenveen known as ‘t Wold’. The ‘village’ became its name 'Oranjewoud' ('Orange Forest' – Orange is the colour of the Dutch royal family) in the year of 1676, when Albertina Agnes, Prinses van Oranje Nassau, after the death of her husband Willem Frederik van Nassau - Stadtholder of Frisia - bought an existing country estate. Early 18th century her daughter-in-law Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-Dessau modernized the manor by (landscape) architect Marot (well known for the construction of Palace Het Loo nearby Apeldoorn). Marot designed two new wings for Oranjewoud, but the central building was never built. The architect also planned the gardens and park around the manor. During the French occupation, both wings were demolished and the property was sold. Two estates were built where the Stadtholder's country house had once stood: Oranjewoud at the site of the old castle and Oranjestein where the home of the steward had been. Various generations of the Oranje-Nassau family spent their summer at Oranjewoud. White plastered Huize Oranjewoud - built 1834 on the place of the former (royal) Palace Oranjewoud - is surrounded by a beautiful garden and a moat. It is private owned and it can not be visited. Opposite of the house is the entrance to the so called ‘Overtuin’ - see note - a lovely garden/park in English style.

Flour mill "Nooit Gedagt" is standing on one of the bastions of the fortress of Woudrichem. Originally the mill was built in the year of 1682 and was destroyed during World War II. "Nooit Gedagt" was rebuilt and reopened in 1996. Woudrichem itself is one of the official eleven Dutch fortress towns and its name ‘Walrichsheim' was already found in the year of 866. It became known as Woudrichem as from 1290, and could already be considered a town at that time, having a sheriff, aldermen and a council. It became city rights in 1356. For another view of the same windmill: www.ipernity.com/doc/327263/28234661/in/group/100944