The Netherlands always impresses all with its charm and is being noticed by the whole world. Even the UNESCO can’t miss out on mentioning these 10 Astonishing World Heritage Sites in the Netherlands. Let’s hope on this ride of learning about these beautiful monuments in the Netherlands.
The Dutch Water Defence Lines represents a defence system extending over 200 km along the edge of the administrative and economic heartland of Holland. It is comprised of the New Dutch Waterline and the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Built between 1815 and 1940, the system consists of a network of forts, dikes, sluices, pumping stations, canals and inundation polders, working in concert to protect the Netherlands by applying the principle of temporary flooding of the land if enemy troops are approaching.
The Netherlands has recently gained some new World Heritage Sites which are the transnational Colonies of Benevolence. There are three settlements in the Netherlands: Frederiksoord, Wilhelminaoord, and Veenhuizen in Drenthe, and Wortel in Belgium — just south of the Dutch border.
The colonies were set up in 1818 as a project to combat poverty among the population. Poverty-stricken families, beggars, and homeless people from the cities could go and work in the Colonies. They were given their own homes and a section of land so that they could learn to support themselves, and their children were sent to school.
The Beemster Polder, dating from the early 17th century, is is an exceptional example of reclaimed land in the Netherlands. It has preserved intact its well-ordered landscape of fields, roads, canals, dykes and settlements, laid out in accordance with classical and Renaissance planning principles. Now, thanks to ingenious and intricate planning, it’s an agricultural landscape made up of fields, roads, canals, dikes, and settlements. Middenbeemster, a little town in the countryside with horses, moats, a drawbridge, and a central market square, is sure to be a lovely outing in the summer.
4. Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes
Following the left bank of the Lower Rhine River for approximately 400 km from the Rhenish Massif in Germany to the North Sea coast in the Netherlands, the transnational property consist of 102 components from one section of the frontiers of the Roman Empire. The property comprises military and civilian sites and infrastructure that marked the edge of Lower Germany from the 1st to 5th centuries CE.
Archaeological remains in the property include military bases, forts, fortlets, towers, temporary camps, roads, harbours, a fleet base, a canal, and an aqueduct, as well as civilian settlements, towns, cemeteries, sanctuaries, an amphitheatre, and a palace. Almost all of these archaeological remains are buried underground. Waterlogged deposits in the property have enabled a high degree of preservation of both structural and organic materials from the Roman periods of occupation and use.
5. Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao
Willemstad is a town on the Caribbean Island of Curaçao. (Yes, you read that right: if you didn’t already know, some municipalities of the Netherlands are located in the Caribbean Sea!) Willemstad, a cute and colourful port town is where the Dutch established a trading settlement. The site has become a symbol of a growing multicultural community within the Netherlands and has been marked as a world heritage site since 1997.
6. The D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station
Another celebration of technology! Damn, they weren’t kidding when they said the Netherlands was the land of water. This World Heritage Site is a steam-powered pumping station, meaning it pumps excess water out of Friesland. It is the largest station of its kind that’s still in use, which is pretty impressive considering it opened in 1920 and marked as a world heritage site since 1998. It now runs on heavy fuel oil and has the capacity to pump up to 4,000 cubic meters of water per minute!
The Woudagemaal is located in a busy seaside town called Lemmer. There’s a visitor entrance that provides you with all the history of the site, an interactive museum experience which the kids will love, and regular tours.
7. Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout
In South Holland, the Windmills of Kinderdijk-Elshout is a charming Dutch mill network and famous man-made landscape built between 1738 and 1740. The area is constructed in a similar way to the Defence Line of Amsterdam, with polders, embankments and dikes. It has 19 drainage mills, three pumping stations, two discharge sluices and two Water Board Assembly Houses which work for the drainage of the land. The windmills essentially keep water out of the polder.
Rietveld Schröderhuis, located in Utretch, is an outstanding piece of architecture designed in 1924 by Gerrit Reitveld. It was built at the request of Truus Schröder-Schräder, whose husband had recently died. Schröder played an important role in the design process because she knew she wanted it to be simple, spacious, and free. She actually asked for it to be designed without walls, so it didn’t constrain her or hide the truth of her emotional life with her three children. She wanted fluidity and a connection between the inside and outside to mirror their new commitment to openness.
Mrs. Schröder lived in the house until her death in 1985. The house was restored by Bertus Mulder and is now a museum where you can find out more about her life and the Dutch artistic movement De Stijl, of which the Rietveld Schröder House is an embodiment.
As an archaeological monument and former island, Schokland and its surroundings possess a mysterious past. This World Heritage Site (gosh that really is a mouthful) lies within the centre of Noordoostpolder and is steeped in cultural history. It’s home to a sweet old church, a lighthouse keeper’s house, and the Schokland Museum. According to Statistics Netherlands, there are just five people living there!
10. Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht
This refers to the historical Canal Ring built in the 17th century. The four main canals are Herengracht, Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, and the Singel. The surrounding areas form the Amsterdam Canal District (Grachtengordel). These canal belts eventually lead into the Amstel river. Why not experience this historic, cultural, and romantic part of the city by booking a boat? From fancy culinary cruises to wading the waters DIY style with a paddleboard, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this World Heritage Site.
Hope now you have ample information about the places you would be visiting on your trip to the Netherlands. Happy Netherlanding!!
Visiting places all day calls for some rest and food :). Checkout 10 Best Restaurants in Netherlands where you would love to hangout
