World Heritage Squared

(17.0 km)

This walking trail takes you through no fewer than two world heritage sites: the Beemster reclamation and the Dutch Water Lines (including the Defense Line of Amsterdam). A unique experience!

Dykes, forts, an inundation sluice, panoramic views over land that has been reclaimed from water, the lowest-lying arboretum in the world, farmhouses and stalls where you can buy the most delicious regional products that the Beemster has in season, directly from the land. You will find it all along this trail.

The connecting routes make it possible to shorten this walking route to a length of 10 or 14 kilometers. The route can be extended to 20 km if you combine the route with the Canal Walk or City Walk through Purmerend.

Reclamation de Beemster
The Beemster in North Holland is a textbook exampl…

Dykes, forts, an inundation sluice, panoramic views over land that has been reclaimed from water, the lowest-lying arboretum in the world, farmhouses and stalls where you can buy the most delicious regional products that the Beemster has in season, directly from the land. You will find it all along this trail.

The connecting routes make it possible to shorten this walking route to a length of 10 or 14 kilometers. The route can be extended to 20 km if you combine the route with the Canal Walk or City Walk through Purmerend.

Reclamation de Beemster
The Beemster in North Holland is a textbook example of how the Dutch have reclaimed large parts of their country. This 17th century polder was set up to convert the threatening inland lake the Beemstermeer into fertile and profitable agricultural land. A sturdy dyke of 42 kilometers long was built around the wild lake and a ring canal was dug around it. Then, 43 windmills started pumping the water out of the lake.

In 1612 De Beemster was fully dry and the layout of the polder could begin. Roads were built, road ditches and plot ditches were dug and farms were built. All this happened according to an orderly and strict geometric pattern. De Beemster owes its fame to this rational subdivision and layout.

Dutch Water Lines (the Defense Line of Amsterdam)
The Defense Line of Amsterdam is a defense line of forts that was built between 1880 and 1914, 15 to 20 kilometers around Amsterdam. Within this ring, the army, the government and the king could withdraw from (possible) attacks on the Netherlands. Through an ingenious system, the land around the defense line could be flooded. Too shallow for boats and too deep for soldiers on foot and cavalry. This made raids more difficult. However, even before construction was completed, the defence line was already obsolete by the advent of the airplane.

During the two world wars, the forts were put in a state of defense. Ultimately, there was never any fighting on the forts. Five forts and an inundation lock of this defense line are located in De Beemster. Some of these fascinating buildings can still be admired in their original state. Other fortresses have been given a new destination, such as the Fort aan de Nekkerweg, which is now a wellness resort.

Since July 2021, UNESCO has placed the Dutch Water Lines on the World Heritage List. The defense lines, the Defense Line of Amsterdam and the New Dutch Water Line, will continue as one World Heritage Site under the name 'Dutch Water Lines'.

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Dit ga je zien

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The Inundation Lock is part of the Defense Line of Amsterdam and was constructed by the War Department between 1890 and 1891.

Inundation lock in Zuidelijke Beemsterringdijk Inundation lock on the Zuidelijke Beemsterringdijk
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