Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: La Hollande-Méridionale

The ‘Achterlandse Molen is one of the three so called wip mills*, all located along the ‘Ammersche Boezem’ (PiP), nearby Groot-Ammers. The windmill is dating back to 1596 (or even earlier) and was used for draining the ‘Liesveld Polder’. The mill was also used for giving signals to other millers in the polder. By turning the sails into a certain position, the signal miller gave information about the water level to other millers. The ‘Achterlandse Molen’ is made habitable in 1865 and nowadays still inhabited. The mill was restored in 1978/1979 and in 2006 and is - on a voluntary base - still used for drainage. *there are two explanations of the Dutch name wip mill: - ‘wippen’ is meaning wobble, describing the movement of the mill when it is rotating quickly; - the scoop wheel ‘wipt’ (scoops) the water into the polder canal

The Grote Kerk (Big Church) or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Kerk (Our Dear Lady Church) was built between 1285 and 1470 in Brabantine Gothic style. This Protestant church is the largest and the second oldest church in the city. The dome-vault of the Big Church is the only one in the Netherlands fully made of stone. The impressive interior is well known for its choir stalls, chapels, pulpit and several other monuments. The tower of the church has a height of 65 meters and is never finished. Dordrecht's position in between rivers made the ground very wet and spongy and unable to support such a heavy structure. The tower started leaning over two meters, which is still visible. The tower is topped with four pointer clocks and a carillon with 67 bells, with its 52.000 kilos it is one of the largest in Europe.

Dutch wetland ‘jungle’ in the Biesbosch* National Park. Picture was taken along the so called ‘Griendmuseumpad’. During my visit completely lined with blooming Himalayan Balsam (PiP). The ‘Biesbosch National Park’ is a green maze of rivers, islands and a vast network of narrow and wide creeks. The park is one of largest and most valuable natural areas in the Netherlands. It’s also one of the few remaining fresh-water tidal areas in Europe. (*Biesbosch = 'forest of sedges' or 'rushwoods')

The ‘Arend Maartenszhof’ is (for me) the most beautiful almshouses in Dordrecht. It was founded in 1625 by Arend Maartenszoon - a wealthy inhabitant of the city - for poor women and widows of soldiers who died for their country. Thirty-eight cottages surround a courtyard with lots of flowers, ancient trees and a water well (see PiP) and are nowadays housing both men and women.

The Molen ‘t Slot (Mill on the Castle) is situated near the old town centre of Gouda and along the river Holland IJssel. The mill stands proudly on his spot since the year of 1832, replacing an earlier octagonal mill which was destroyed in 1831 by fire. It is however the third mill at this spot. The history goes even further back. The first mill was built (1581) on the foundations of a castle. The name ‘t Slot refers to the castle of the 'Heeren van ter Gouw', which was demolished in1577. Flour mill 't Slot is a so called smock mill. A smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weather boarded tower. It is topped with a cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind. The mill is open for visitors when the sails are turning.