De Beemster Flower Fields in the Netherlands
There are not many people, even in the Netherlands, who knew that Beemster is a UNESCO World Heritage. Most would identify Beemster with the cheese manufacturer or brand as seen regularly advertised on Dutch TV. My search for cheese farms in the Netherlands led me to read about Beemster and its remarkable history.
“De Beemster” is actually a river in the North Holland province, about half an hour drive from Amsterdam to the north, if without traffic which is impossible. In the course of time, this river became a huge inland sea. Because of its close proximity to the bigger sea (the Zuiderzee that does not anymore exist today) local government officials in the area had to make radical decisions to save their little towns.
Polder-ization was introduced (not really sure if this term exists, lol, but Polder does).
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This impressive feat of polder engineering was lead by Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater, a windmill and water engineer. In 1607 he dried the Beemster inland sea and polderized the whole area into a geometrical pattern – small squares of land. A similar pattern that perhaps many can relate is the blocks of New York City. Click here for a map of Beemster polderized
3 centuries later, the new Dutch breed of engineers followed his footsteps by drying and polderizing some parts of the Zuiderzee and installing the world famous closure dike.
There are 5 forts in Beemster that is originally part of the defense walls of Amsterdam. These forts are also listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage.
Nowadays the polders are being used by farmers to cultivate flower bulbs.
The flowers on the foto are not for sale. The farmers let these beauties freely bloom in the fields which offers a nice distraction when driving, and when the bulbs under the ground are mature, they harvest them, throw away the withered flowers and export the bulbs across the world.
Flower bulb fields (bollenstreek or bloembollenvelden) are only sighted in the North Holland province during spring or from early March to late May.
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Visit Period: April 2009
Destination: Beemster (North Holland), The Netherlands
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
“De Beemster” is actually a river in the North Holland province, about half an hour drive from Amsterdam to the north, if without traffic which is impossible. In the course of time, this river became a huge inland sea. Because of its close proximity to the bigger sea (the Zuiderzee that does not anymore exist today) local government officials in the area had to make radical decisions to save their little towns.
Polder-ization was introduced (not really sure if this term exists, lol, but Polder does).
Driving to the direction of Graft De Rijp we saw this field of red and yellow flowers in the Beemster polder. Imagine, this used to be a sea.
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Another flower fields of yellow, cream white, and light and dark magenta coloured beauties.
This impressive feat of polder engineering was lead by Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater, a windmill and water engineer. In 1607 he dried the Beemster inland sea and polderized the whole area into a geometrical pattern – small squares of land. A similar pattern that perhaps many can relate is the blocks of New York City. Click here for a map of Beemster polderized
3 centuries later, the new Dutch breed of engineers followed his footsteps by drying and polderizing some parts of the Zuiderzee and installing the world famous closure dike.
There are 5 forts in Beemster that is originally part of the defense walls of Amsterdam. These forts are also listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage.
Nowadays the polders are being used by farmers to cultivate flower bulbs.
The flowers on the foto are not for sale. The farmers let these beauties freely bloom in the fields which offers a nice distraction when driving, and when the bulbs under the ground are mature, they harvest them, throw away the withered flowers and export the bulbs across the world.
Flower bulb fields (bollenstreek or bloembollenvelden) are only sighted in the North Holland province during spring or from early March to late May.
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And on our drive going back.
Visit Period: April 2009
Destination: Beemster (North Holland), The Netherlands
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
