PATS GRAPHICS DESIGN - GOLDE CIRCLE
..THE GOLDEN CIRCLE..
The Circle of towns and villages around the Zuiderzee,
linked by a Golden History
The name of the old Zuiderzee has ceased to exist for many years. The fame of this enormous treasure trove around the presently called IJsselmeer is still brought to life
every day in the dozens of old towns and villages, such as the fishing villages of Urk
and Spakenburg.
In the merchants’ houses of the trading towns of Kampen, Stavoren
and Enkhuizen. But also in the nature reserves of The Oostvaardersplassen
between Almere and Lelystad. Together this collection of rich, special and surprising places form The Golden Circle. A journey of discovery definitely worth making.
A Circle of trading towns
The area can rightly be called The Golden Circle. Along the ancient margins of
the old Zuiderzee is a long, long circle of charming, typically Dutch towns. Each one made rich thanks to the salt water of the old Zuiderzee.
Take Enkhuizen, Hoorn and Amsterdam,
for instance. During the Golden Age the ships of the East India Company set sail from here for the Dutch East Indies. The Glory of Holland in those days is still to be seen in just about every facade.
But the Zuiderzee was not only where the ships set sail to trade with the East. From
trading
towns such as Workum, Vollenhove, Makkum and Elburg, ships plied the northern seas in
large numbers. Sometimes with surprising results, as in Hindeloopen, where the furniture
is still painted in Scandinavian style,
in particular using motifs in red and dark green.
Shipbuilding and fishing
Trade across the seas means shipbuilding too, of course. This was carried out
everywhere a
few centuries ago. In the meantime this traditional craftsmanship has been brought back to
life in the heart of the old Zuiderzee, at the Batavia shipyard in Lelystad. There, the
building
of "De Zeven Provinciën" (The Seven Provinces) is in full swing, a
reconstruction of Michiel De Ruyter’s flagship. Or take a look in Kampen; there the Koggeship has been rebuilt
in the old traditional way. The building of fishing boats was a regional specialty too. Because
the
Zuiderzee was an earthly paradise for the fishermen. Visit Urk, Spakenburg, Marken or
Volendam and buy a freshly smoked eel from a cheerful fisherman in authentic costume. And breathe in the aromas of past times in the harbour.
Water became land
The trading spirit of the inhabitants of the Zuiderzee was also expressed by
their mastery in
creating land from the water. Even in the 14th century, land was being won from the sea
using
primitive but well thought-out techniques. The beginning of a long succession of polders,
with
Flevoland as the last one in the series. All the land so won showed itself to be fertile
for all kinds
of new cultural and natural treasures.
Hotel, bike and boat packages and day trips
As diverse as the Zuiderzee region still is, so diverse are also the opportunities to
discover the
treasures of The Golden Circle. Various routes have been made; such as Amsterdam to
Giethoorn, and from Makkum to Enkhuizen. Day trips and hotel, bike and boat packages
varying from 3 to 10 days are available.
For more details about day trips and hotel, bike and boat packages in The Golden Circle
please call The Golden Circle, 00 31 (0)320 286767.
Email:
info@goudencirkel.nl
The following places are all within The Golden Circle:
Makkum-Workum-Hindeloopen-Stavoren-Balk-Sloten-Lemmer-Ossenzijl-
Blokzijl-Giethoorn-
VOLLENHOVE
-Zwartsluis-Genemuiden-Kampen-Emmeloord-Urk-
Dronten-Lelystad-Zeewolde-Almere-Elburg-Nunspeet-Harderwijk-Ermelo-Putten-
Nijkerk-Bunschoten-Spakenburg-Eemnes-
Blaricum-Huizen-Naarden-Muiden-Diemen-Amsterdam-Monnickendam-Marken-Edam-
Volendam-Oosthuizen-Avenhorn-Hoorn-Venhuizen-Bovenkarspel-Enkhuizen-Andijk-
Wervershoof-Medemblik-Wieringerwerf-Den Oever
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