Nederland - Zaandijk

Panorama of Zaandijk, seen from the Zaanse Schans

Zaandijk is one of the most beautiful villages in the Zaan region. It is located on the banks of the river Zaan, opposite the famous Zaanse Schans. The village has a number of working windmills, but is known for its typical green-painted wooden houses, which are mainly located along the Lagedijk (main image) and in the vicinity Domineestuin (PiPs).

The history of Zaandijk goes back to the year 1494 when "Hendrik Pietersz" got a permit to build a house on the lage dijk (low dike) along the Zaan. In 1570 the town consisted of 19 houses. These dwellings were burned by the Spaniards in 1572, during the Eighty Years' War.

Zaandijk was an independent municipality until 1974, when it became a part of Zaanstad.