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Broek in Waterland

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Overview

Broek in Waterland is a village in the province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of about 2,745 inhabitants as of 2021. It is a part of the municipality of Waterland, and is situated about 8 km (5 miles) south of Purmerend and 8 km (5 miles) northeast of Amsterdam.

In the 17th and 18th century, the village was a popular residence for merchants and seafarers from Amsterdam. Due to its monument status, much of its history has been preserved.

Facts

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia541 words

WBP editorial3

A day in the water‑lined hamlet

Begin at the tiny ferry slip that chugs across the Zaan river; the short ride offers a view of the village’s brick façades reflected in the canal’s glassy surface. Once ashore, wander the narrow lanes that thread between 17th‑century gabled houses, stopping at a modest café for a rijsttafel of locally sourced cheese and sprouted rye bread. The best‑kept secret is the early‑morning market by the old windmill, where fishmongers from the surrounding polders display their catch alongside handmade wooden clogs. A leisurely punt downstream lets you watch ducks glide past water‑lily islands, and the gentle rhythm of the paddle is a perfect antidote to the bustle of nearby Amsterdam.

Beyond the postcard: seasonal rhythms

While summer brings a flood of cyclists, autumn transforms Broek in Waterland into a quiet tableau of gold‑tinged reeds and low‑lying fields. The turning season is when locals conduct the traditional ‘waterland harvest’, a communal gathering where residents pull up the last of the summer’s sluice‑grown vegetables and share them in a communal pot. In winter, the canal freezes enough for a cautious traverse on ice skates, a practice that has persisted since the village’s early days as a merchant hub. Visiting during these quieter months grants a glimpse of life that is less about spectacle and more about the enduring relationship between the people and their water‑bound landscape.

Travel craft: navigating the narrow waterways

The canals around Broek in Waterland are navigable only by shallow‑draft vessels, so standard tour boats often have to turn back before reaching the heart of the village. Savvy travellers bring a compact rowing boat or a fold‑out kayak, which can be hired from a family‑run outlet just beyond the main bridge. Mastering the gentle currents is a small adventure; the water’s subtle rise and fall, dictated by the historic Dutch polder system, means you’ll need to adjust your stroke frequently. This low‑tech approach not only respects the delicate heritage of the waterways but also places you in a unique perspective, allowing you to glide past historic farmsteads that are invisible from the road.

Introduction

For the Jan Toorop painting, see Broek in Waterland (painting). Village in North Holland, NetherlandsBroek in WaterlandVillage FlagCoat of armsBroek in WaterlandLocation in the NetherlandsShow map of NetherlandsBroek in WaterlandLocation in the province of North Holland in the NetherlandsShow map of North HollandCoordinates: 52°26′10″N 4°59′39″E / 52.43611°N 4.99417°E / 52.43611; 4.99417CountryNetherlandsProvince North HollandMunicipalityWaterlandArea • Total10.70 km2 (4.13 sq mi)Elevation−0.5 m (−1.6 ft)Population (2021) • Total2,745 • Density256.5/km2 (664.4/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal code1151Dialing code020 Broek in Waterland is a village in the province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of about 2,745 inhabitants as of 2021. It is a part of the municipality of Waterland, and is situated about 8 km (5 miles) south of Purmerend and 8 km (5 miles) northeast of Amsterdam. In the 17th and 18th century, the village was a popular residence for merchants and seafarers from Amsterdam. Due to its monument status, much of its history has been preserved.

History

[edit] Early years[edit] Many of the houses in the village date back to before 1850. Before 1940 there had been only limited housing development. This meant that many houses were divided to accommodate several families under the same roof. The church of Broek in Waterland was built before 1400 and was dedicated to Saint Nicolas. On 26 September 1573, the church was razed to the ground by Spaniards during the Eighty Years' War. In 1628 the inhabitants of Broek in Waterland started to rebuild the church on the foundations of the old building. The pulpit was donated to the church in 1685 by a wealthy couple who were married there in 1641. It is made of ebony, rosewood and pallisander wood, which give it a dark colour and delicate texture. The church organ was built in 1832 by Wander Beekes. The church was extensively renovated in 1989. During this renovation, the original ceiling frescoes of cherubs and fruit garlands were rediscovered under old layers of paint. Tourist attraction[edit] Broek in Waterland was a popular vacation village for sea captains in the 1600s. The town has always been famous for its cleanliness. Many 17th and 18th century travel books of foreign travellers mentioned the cleanliness and tidiness of the village.The extreme cleanliness of Broek in Waterland led French visitors in the first half of the eighteenth century to dub this dairying village "le temple de la propreté hollandaise". Toxic chemical dump[edit] Just to the south of the town was the site of a major landfill. More than 10,000 drums of toxic chemical refuse was dumped here in the 1960s, most containing dioxin-rich 2,4,5-T, which was being produced in Amsterdam by the former company Philips Duphar (although they were cleared of responsibility by the courts), which were produced as the main defoliating ingredient of the Agent Orange formula, supplied to the Americans for their war in Vietnam, but other potentially hazardous chemicals were dumped here in large quantities, such as MCPA, lindane, and Tedion. The extent of the pollution was uncovered in 1980, after it was decided that cleaning up the chemicals was too difficult, in 2003 authorities began to blanket the site with a new layer of topsoil, and in 2011 the area was (partially) re-opened as a 'nature' area. Part of the municipality of Waterland[edit] Broek in Waterland was a separate municipality until 1991, when it was merged with Waterland.