Giethoorn:
Giethoorn was founded around 1230 by travelers from regions bordering the Mediteranean. They found masses of horns of wild goats, which had probably died in 1170 during the St. Elizabeth's flood. They called their settlement Geytenhorn (geit = goat), ulimately becoming Giethoorn (dialect goat = geit = giet).
The village owes it characteristic appearance to peatdigging. The peatdiggers dug up the peat-soil at the places that most suited them, mixed it in a trough and spread it out on the land to dry. The result could be cut as peat. This peatdigging led to the formation of large and small lakes. To transport the peat ditches and canals were excavated. Many houses are as it were built on little islands, reached through a high bridge.
Schokland:
For centuries Schokland lay exposed as a small vulnerable island in the middle of the Zuider Zee. At present, Schokland is an island laid dry, that can still be seen 'sticking up' from the polder floor. It is not without reason that this site was the first monument in the Netherlands to receive the status of World Heritage. A sign of international recognition as well as a worthy symbol of the never ceasing battle of the Dutch against the water.
It was put on the World Heritage list in 1995 and includes nine national monuments, five of which are archeological sites and one of which is a mixed archeological and architectural monument.
Urk:
Urk is an island within a newly created "Polder" on the border of the IJsselmeer in the province of Flevoland. Its written history dates back to the year 966. At that time Urk was an island in the Zuiderzee, the open inner sea in the center of the Netherlands. The main livelyhood of the population was, and still is, fishery.
In 1932 the Zuiderzee was closed by the Closure Dyke, turning the sea into a large lake named IJsselmeer. As a result the seawater became freshwater. In 1939 Urk ceased to be an island when the dam between Lemmer and Urk was completed. This dam was part of the construction of a new polder which was reclaimed in 1942. Urk retained its harbour and is situated at the southwestern tip of this North-East-Polder. In 1948 its first roadlink with the old land was established.
Additional Information
Duration: aprox. 8 hours
Tour is operated in English and Dutch
On request*: German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Russian or Hebrew.
* extra charges may apply
