Jaap van 't Veen's photos

The history of Huis Verwolde goes back to the middle ages. The present house was built in 1776 on the foundations of a medieval castle by the lord of Verwolde, Frederik Willen van der Borch. Six generations of the Van der Borch family lived in the house until 1977. In that year the last lord of Verwolde - A.Ph.R.C. Baron van der Borch van Verwolde - decided to sell Huis Verwolde to “Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen” (a Dutch heritage organisation). Phillip Willem Schonck was the architect of the house. It took nine successive months to built the two storey brick house in Dutch classical style; the decoration took some years. The house is surrounded by formal gardens and a landscape park. Durinng World War II Huis Verwolde was use as a clinic for patients with tuberculose, who had to move from the town of Scheveningen because of the construction of the Atlantikwall by the Germans. In doing this, the family prevented the Germans from taking over the house Huis Verwolde is open to the public, also with guided tours.

Peat digging and floods developed the river Schermer into an inland lake with an open connection with the sea. Private investors started draining the lake between 1633 and 1635. For this huge job 52 windmills were used. The bottom of the Schermer lies more than 4 metres below sea level and windmills had to convey the water in several steps from one canal to the next. The mills on the reclaimed land of the Schermer (in Dutch: ‘droogmakerij’ or ‘polder’) worked so well that people switched to electrical pumping stations for controlling water levels not before 1928. There are still 11 windmills left in the Schermer, 5 of them nearby the village of Schermerhorn. One of them - the central mill in the PiP - nowadays houses Museummolen Schermerhorn . Visitors can see how a poldermill worked and how people used to live in it.

The Basiliek van onze Lieve Vrouwe - alsdo called Onze Lieve Vrouw "Sterre der Zee" Basiliek - (Basilica of Our Lady) is a Romanesque Catholic church. Probably a Roman temple was built on the same location before the church was built. Most of the present building dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. The westwork was built in the 11th century, and Gothic vaults in the nave were added in the 13th century. Duringh the French occupation (at the end of the 18th century) the church was used as a stable and a blacksmith shop by the military garrison. It was finally returned to a place of worship in 1837. From 1887 to 1917 the church was thoroughly restored by well-known Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers. He basically removed everything that did not fit his ideal of a Romanesque church. The interior features a couple of mural dasting back to the Middle Ages. The church has a 1652 pipe organ, while the stained glass windows date to the 19th and 20th centuries. Next to the church is a cloistered garden located. Despite the church's beautiful interior, the main attraction of the Basiliek van onze Lieve Vrouwe is without any doubt the miraculous statue of Our Lady, Star of the Sea (PiP2). This 15th-century wooden statue was originally housed in a nearby Franciscan monastery. It was moved to the basilica in 1837. The statue placed in a Gothic chapel near the main entrance where it is visited by hundreds of worshipers daily.

Ootmarsum has a long history. Around 770 one of the first churches in the region Twente was built here and in the year of 1000 Ootmarsum was one of the largest parishes. Ootmarsum received city rights in 1325. The town was then converted into a fortress with ditches and earthworks. In the 16th century Ootmarsum was occupied by the Spanish during the Eighty Years War, but in 1597 was captured by Maurits, Prince of Orange. Nowadays it is a popular tourist destination; well known for its meandering streets and narrow alleyways lined with historical buildings like the H.H. Simon en Judaskerk and former town hall . Nowadays the center of Ootmarsum offers lifestyle shops and a lot of galleries. Ootmarsum was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Dinkelland.

Het Stift - a unique place in Twente - is an age-old protected townscape nearby Weerselo. It is over 800 years since a community was founded here by ‘Hugo van Buren’. The commune was transformed into a Benedictine double monastery that housed both monks and nuns in 1152. A century later, the last monks left Weerselo, but the unmarried ladies of nobility remained. The central building at Het Stift is without any doubt the Stiftskerk . Not only because of its size, age and religious significance, but also because it has functioned actively throughout all the centuries: in the Middle Ages as a monastery and parish church, then as Stiftskerk of the Reformed congregation. In the latter capacity, it still functions today. Despite its use as part of a monastery and stift inhabited by nobility, the church is small and consists of one aisle only. It is probable that the walls of irregular pieces of natural stone are from the 14th century. Originally, the church was one trave longer. In 1523 a fire destroyed the church, and when it was repaired the nave was shortened and given a new front. The buttresses, the vaults and the upper parts of the wall date from this period as well. Today, the Stiftskerk is used for weddings, concerts, funerals and church services.

Burg Lage (Lage Castle) dates from the 14th century and belonged to the possessions of the bishop of Utrecht. Later, it came into the possession of King Philip II of Spain. At the end of the 16th century, the castle was renovated. In the course of the Eighty Years' War (or Dutch revolt), which gave the Netherlands its independence, Burg Lage was blown up and never rebuilt. Since then, it has remained a ruin and its thick walls are overgrown with ivy. Lage, or officially “Herrlichkeit Lage”, refers to the time between the end of the Thirty Years' War and the year of 1803, in which Lage was an independent small state with its own jurisdiction. Since the late 19th century large parts of Lage are Dutch-owned, since 1977 by the Dutch “Twickel Foundation”.

The watermill in Lage was first officially mentioned in the year of 1270. It was about 200 years later that King Philip II of Spain, as ruler of the Netherlands, approved building of a mill on the river Dinkel. It is supposed that this was a reconstruction or expansion of an existing mill. The current mill looks like it is from the late 17th century. A distinguishing feature is the two undershot waterwheels that drive both a flour mill and an oil mill. In the early years of the 20th century, electricity was also generated at the mill to supply the community of Lage. After World War I, the oil mill was shut down. The grist mill kept running until 1957, although the last years by a diesel engine. After the last miller’s death, the mill stood empty. In 1962, when the building was threatening to fall down, the most urgent safety work started. Ten years later, Grafschaft Bentheim brought about a comprehensive restoration on the mill, giving it once more its two waterwheels and restoring the weir to improve flow rates. Nowadays the mill can be run again. (Lage, or officially Herrlichkeit Lage), refers to the time between the end of the Thirty Years' War and the year of 1803, in which Lage was an independent small state with its own jurisdiction. Since the late 19th century large parts of Lage are Dutch-owned, since 1977 by the Dutch ‘Twickel Foundation’.)

The Sint-Plechelmusbasiliek (Basilica of St. Plechelm) is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the 8th -century Irish monk Saint Plechelm. The church is a fine example of Romanesque architecture, built entirely from Bentheim sandstone and is most notable for its high pitched roof and bell tower. The oldest parts of the impressive church date from the middle and second half of the 12th century, but the history of the church goes back to the 8th century when the travelling missionary Plechelmus founded the first church: Sivester church, initially dedicated to pope Sivester and sometime before 954 rededicated to Plechelmus itself (canonised after the elevation of his relics). In 954 bisshop Balderik of Utrecht founded a chapter in Oldenzaal and expanded and restored the 8th -century church, allowing the relics of Plechelmus used on his canonisation to be transferred to it. The current tower was erected around 1240. The church was enlarged in Gothic style in 1480s. Through the years the Sint-Plechelmusbasiliek has undergone a number of renovations and repairs, however most of its structure still boasts of its original features.

The “Beemster” is the first so called polder in the Netherlands that was reclaimed from a lake by using windmills. The “Beemster Polder” was created during the period 1609 - 1612. The clay of the polder turned out to be very fertile for growing tulips and nowadays it is one of the newest areas where one can see vast bulb fields during springtime.

The so called Kop van Noord-Holland is the northern part of the province of North Holland. This area is the largest continuous bulb area in the world. The soil - mostly sand - is extremely suitable for growing bulbs. Bulbs grow well because the winters are relatively warm and the spring is cool. Because of this favourable climate, diseases are less common. The Kop van Noord-Holland is the largest bulb area in the Netherlands. Colourful blooming bulb fields reach as far as the eye can see. From mid-March to mid-May the region turns into one big sea of flowers. It starts with the crocus season, then daffodils and hyacinths appear and finally the tulips show their striking colours from mid-April until the beginning of May. The Kop van Noord-Holland is our favourite region in the Netherlands for visiting flowering bulb fields. It is perhaps less known than the area around the famous Keukenhof , but definitely more attractive to us. In addition to these endless bulb fields, the region features a couple of very interesting sights: Hortus Bulborum in Limmen with hundreds of different species of blooming bulbs and the Poldertuin in Anna Paulowna, a public park with more than 200.000 bulbs.

Surrounded by the largest bulb flower fields of the world lies the stunningly colourful Tulpen Pluktuin (main image). This Tulip Picking Garden offers more than 150 varieties of tulips. It is possible to stroll through the garden, take pictures and pick your own tulips. Next tot to the Picking Garden lies the so called Showtuin . During springtime - when everything is in bloom - visitors can clearly see what beautiful types of bulb flowers there are. They can be ordered at the shop of the Tulpen Pluktuin (PiPs).

After the construction of the Anna Paulownapolder an office of the water board was built. This stately home is locally known as Polderhuis . In 1885 the Poldertuin (Polder Garden) around the house was designed by landscape architect Jan David Zocher jr., who also designed the well known Vondelpark in Amsterdam and the garden of Soestdijk Palace. His gardens are characterized by winding paths and water features with bridges. Polderhuis (nowadays privately owned) and Poldertuin were sold to the municipality. The garden is still owned by the municipality of Hollands Kroon, but since 2014 it is managed by a foundation. In autumn volunteers plant thousands and thousands flower bulbs, which are blooming between early April and mid May. The flower bulbs are donated by about hundred flower bulb growers in the region. The Poldertuin offers a large variety of springtime flowers like tulips (220 species), daffodils (125 species), hyacinths (30 species) and 35 special bulbs and tubers. The garden is also called ‘Little Keukenhof’, although the comparison is not appropriate. Keukenhof is no less than 25 times bigger and just open for eight weeks a year. Poldertuin is open all year, can be visited free of charge and is a real hidden gem and not very known to tourists.

The Zaanse Schans is a historic neighbourhood in the Zaanstad municipality, which was established by relocating wooden buildings and industrial mills from the Zaan district. To preserve as much as possible original of these timber buildings, in 1949 a special neighbourhood was set up to relocate the houses. From the middle of the 20th century the plans were elaborated. From 1963 many wooden buildings were moved to the Kalverpolder , where the Zaanse Schans was created. Although set up as a 'normal' residential neighbourhood, the area attracted more and more tourists. Between 1970 and 1974, the plan was expanded to include historic buildings and several replicas suitable for catering and tourism. Some of the buildings are now housing museums, small craft businesses and shops. In 1976, the Zaanse Schans became a tourist destination. Nowadays, it is one of the most visited tourist places in the Netherlands with more than two million visitors per year. The Zaanse Schans comprises approx. 30 inhabited houses, 15 commercial buildings/shops and 12 windmills . The neighbourhood has about 75 inhabitants. In 2010 the Zaanse Schans was designated as a protected village sight. The neighbourhood was named after the sconce, which “Diederik Sonoy”, governor in the service of “Willem van Oranje”, had built in the Eighty Years’ War to stop the Spanish troops.

The Zaanse Schans is a residential neighbourhood in which the 18th and 19th centuries are brought to life. It is best known for its collection of well-preserved historic houses and windmills. The Zaanse Schans is a unique and one of the most visited places in the Netherlands, with green wooden houses, windmills, barns and typical Dutch crafts. From 1961 to 1974 old buildings from all over the region were relocated using lowboy trailers to the area. Zaanse Schans derived its name from the river Zaan and its original function as sconce (“schans” in Dutch) against the Spanish troops during the Eighty Years' War. The area around the Zaanse Schans , called the Zaanstreek , once was the largest industrial zone in Western Europe. During the 18th and 19th century heyday it used to have more than 600 windmills; 245 were sawing mills and 160 oil mills. Built for industrial functions, they were used for grinding grain, making wood for shipbuilding, pressing oil from seeds, makling paper from hemp and a lot of cocoa was also produced in the Zaan region. Starting in the 1960’s, these historical mills and other threatened and antique buildings were moved to the Zaanse Schans to create a collection and to preserve them. Nowadays there are 12 windmills on the <and four more in the vicinity. Most of the mills were moved in the last century, some stood already at their current location along the river Zaan and some have been completely rebuilt according to the original plans. Most of the mills are owned by the Vereniging de Zaansche Molen , which is also responsible for the maintenance and operation of the mills. Seven fully operative windmills and the Molenmuseum (Mill Museum) can be visited.

Herborn is a historic town and had its first documentary mention in 1048. It was granted the privilege of a city in 1251 by the Counts of Nassau. The city belonged to the County Nassau-Dillenburg. Herborn's town centre belongs to the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany with about 400 half-timbered houses. Timber from nearby Westerwald was used for their construction. Typical of Herborn (and the region) is the alternation between open half-timbering and slate-clad façades.

The Wilhelmsturm located on a hill above the town, nowadays is Dillenburg’s main landmark. The tower was built between 1872 and 1875 on the former upper courtyard of Dillenburg Castle. That medieval castle was erected in 1130, but destroyed during the Seven Years War in 1760. The castle was the family ancestral seat of the House of Nassau. The Wilhelmsturm is 41 meters high and overlooks the town of Dillenburg. The tower was constructed as a permanent memorial of Willem van Oranje (William of Ornage or William the Silent) who was born in the castle. Nowadays it houses the Orange-Nassau Museum. Willem van Oranje was the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish occupation during the Eighty Years’ War (1568 -1648), which resulted in the formal independence of the Dutch Republic. Next to the tower stands a monument in honour of Dillenburgs greatest son. This statue of William of Orange was erected to mark the 125th anniversary of the Wilhelmsturm and unveiled in the year 2000 by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

The Paleispark (Palace Park) is a part of Kroondomein Het Loo (Het Loo Royal Estate). With an area of 650 hectare the park is ideal for strolling and walking. It lies adjacent to “Het Loo Palace” and around Castle Het Oude Loo . Traditionally this park was for the relaxation of the royal residents of the palace. and their guests. The origins of the park can be traced back to stadtholder Willem III, who purchased hunting lodge Het Oude Loo in 1684 together with 200 hectare land. “Het Loo Royal Estate” was also very important for Queen Wilhelmina. She purchased many acres of land and donated this to the State in 1959, retaining the rights of usage for the reigning monarch. This explains the name for the whole area: “Het Loo Royal Estate”. The palace park is only a small part of “Het Loo Royal Estate”. The park features ponds, a tea pavilion (main image and PiP1), which was often used by Queen Wilhelmina, a bath-house (PiP2), a royal horse cemetery, an old shooting range, a hunting lodge and several follies. The park is open - against a small fee - the whole year round, the part around Het Oude Loo is open for visitors only during the months April and May.

Het Lankheet is an estate south of Haaksbergen. The family estate is approx. 500 hectares in size and has an alternation of forest, agriculture, heathland and fens. The history of this estate goes back 800 years, but they also look ahead - well into the 21st century. There are various contemporary landscape projects on display in the areas of water purification, energy extraction, multifunctional climate forests, timber cultivation, youth education and youth care, art and theater. A notable part of the waterpark in Het Lankheet are the “Kidney Pools”: two kidney-shaped, interlocking ponds like yin and yang: symbols of purification, but also of balanced proportions. A path of stepping stones allows people to walk through the two ponds. Apart from being a place of meditation, the “Kidney Pools” are also a place of entertainment for young and old.