Search results
Beemster (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbeːmstər] ⓘ) is a former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The Beemster is the first polder in the Netherlands reclaimed from a lake, the water extracted by windmills between 1609 and 1612.
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Beemster is still a large lake in the province of North Holland. In 1607, the authorities decide to impolder the lake so that farmers may grow crops…
Welkom in De Beemster. Beschermd door de ringdijk ligt daar al ruim 400 jaar het land met zijn rechte wegen omzoomd door bomenrijen, stoere stolpboerderijen en grazige weiden. Wonen, werken en recreëren 3,5 meter onder zeeniveau, een waanzinnig idee.
- What Is A Polder?
- About Beemster Polder
- Why Is Beemster Polder Important?
- How to Visit The Beemster Polder
- Things to Do in The Beemster Polder
- Where to Stay in The Beemster Polder
- Final Words
Before delving deeply into Beemster itself, it’s necessary to understand exactly what a polder is. Put simply, a polder is farmland that’s been reclaimed from water. This land could be reclaimed from a lake, a river, marshes, or even the sea. To build a polder, one only needs to build a dam around the desired area. Once the area has been isolated b...
Beemster Polder is located about 30 kilometres north of Amsterdam. The World Heritage area covers about 70 square kilometres, and is today home to about 3,500 people. There’s even several villages located within the polder: Middenbeemster, Noordbeemster, Westbeemster, and Zuidoostbeemster. Centuries ago, in the early Middle Ages, the current area o...
Although it seems unusual that an area of reclaimed farmland in an obscure corner of the Netherlands would make it onto the World Heritage List, alongside the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramids, Beemster Polder is actually surprisingly important. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, the original buildings and structures of the polder are all still ...
By car– you can stop at one of the small villages and then walk around, or just drive aroundBy public transport from Amsterdam– take R-NET line 305 from Amsterdam Centraal and get off at bus stop De Buurt in MiddenbeemsterVisit one of the small villages: Middenbeemster, Westbeemster, and Noordbeemster.Stop at the local tourist office in Middenbeemster to learn everything about the Beemster Polder (Address: Middenweg 185, 1462HJ Middenbeemster)Check the out the Agrarian Museum Westerhem (Agrarisch Museum Westerhem) – located behind the tourist office; entry tickets: 4,50 EUR, kids (13-18 years): 2 EURLearn about the 18th-century feminist writer Betje (Elizabeth) Wolff-Bekker in the Betje Wolff Museum. The museum is located in the house where she lived. (Address: Middenweg 178, 1462 HL Middenbee...Often the Beemster Polder is visited only on a day trip from Amsterdam. However the area is so charming that it’s worth staying there a couple of days. If you are road-tripping in the Netherlands, the Beemster Polder should be a stop on your route. Here’s a selection of places to stay in De Beemster:
Overall, Beemster Polder is a fascinating place. Admittedly, it’s not the most exciting place to visit, but there’s some intriguing history here and it’s interesting to consider the impact this small corner of the Netherlands had on modern agriculture and town planning. Do you need some extra help to plan your trip to the Netherlands? Join the dedi...
Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) was constructed in 1612 as one of the first experiments in the Netherlands in reclaiming agricultural grounds from the water. The polder was laid out in a rational geometric pattern based on the ideals of the Renaissance.
Beemster Polder (or Droogmakerij de Beemster in Dutch) is an amazing example of the Dutch water management genius. It’s the first patch of land the Dutch ever reclaimed from lakes, and it laid the foundations for what would become something quite natural for the Netherlands – draining lakes and marshes and creating land.
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.
