Haarlem is not only a city, but also the administrative center of the Northern Dutch province. Regarding its location, we can say that it is located in the heart of one of the largest industrial regions of the Netherlands. Amsterdam is only 20 km from it. This article is recommended for reading to those who do not know what to see in Haarlem (Netherlands).
History of the city
Haarlem began his historical development in the 10th century. It was in this century that a trade route passed along the Sparne River, and for greater convenience a settlement was created. It took almost two centuries for a small settlement to become a strong, fortified city, which, in fact, was not an administrative unit, but was the residence of the Dutch counts.
And only in 1245, William II officially granted Haarlem city status, with the permission to independently conduct court hearings. Such changes greatly influenced legal proceedings, and the population grew rapidly. However, the city was still weak, since most of its buildings were wooden, and fires were everywhere, because of which it almost burned down three times. Haarlem overcame plague epidemics, but, despite all the difficulties, life went on, and houses were rebuilt again and again. And after many upheavals for the period of the XIV century, it was equated with the largest cities of the country, in many ways surpassing even Amsterdam, Delft, Gouda, Rotterdam, Leiden. By the XV century, the city had its own textile industry, shipyards, beer factories.
For some time, Haarlem, like some other cities in the Netherlands, had to become part of Spain, which provoked popular resistance and led to the Eighty Years' War. At its end and after the expulsion of the Spaniards, the city began to develop again in an industrial and cultural sense.
In the XVIII century, Amsterdam gained its maximum prosperity after it became one of the most important centers of international trade, and Haarlem’s role in the development of the country's economy diminished, but its cultural significance for the Netherlands remained.
sights
In view of such a rich history, today Haarlem is recognized as one of the most ancient cities in Europe. Tourists arriving in the center of the province of North Holland will be amazed by the view of the city’s multiple medieval buildings. They can also get acquainted with a lot of attractions of Haarlem (Netherlands). All of them are listed below.
Grote Markt Square
Grote Markt flocks from all corners of Haarlem. It is from this place that almost all excursions begin. Traditional market days (Saturday and Monday) have been preserved in the square, where everyone can find something interesting for himself. From time to time they hold concerts, festivals and other cultural events. Visitors can see on the territory of the Grote Markt a monument to L. Ya. Coster - the Dutch book printer, the Church of St. Bavon, the Meat Rows, the City Guard House, the Town Hall.
Meat rows
Undoubtedly, Fleischal or the Meat Rows located on the Grote Markt require special attention. At the end of the sixteenth century, the standard fresh meat markets in Haarlem could not fully satisfy the needs of the townspeople, and therefore it was decided to build a large and spacious building where they could sell. Local authorities approached the matter very seriously, and even the architect Lieven de Kay was invited, who was entrusted with the development of the building project. Thus, the building came out in the style of the Dutch Renaissance, built from the best and most expensive materials. After its discovery in 1604 and until 1840, fresh meat was sold only in Fleischal. Today, the Meat Rows are no longer a trading place, but are part of the exhibition complex. The exposition of the Archaeological Museum is located on the ground floor, and the collection of the Frans Hals Museum is located on the upper floors .
Taylor Museum
This museum is the first and oldest in the Netherlands. It was founded thanks to the banker Peter Taylor van der Hulst, who during his life collected an amazing collection of paintings, archaeological finds, books and scientific devices. In his will, he indicated that he wanted to transfer everything collected and earned to the city for the development of art, science and religion, which led to the formation of the Taylor Museum. Its official discovery took place in 1784, somewhat later than the date of foundation (1778). In it, visitors can see the works of Gverchino, Raphael, Goltzius, Lorren, Michelangelo's outline, etc. The library contains unique periodicals and books, there is also an archive in which the whole history of the museum is illustrated.
Hadrian's Mill
The mill was erected in 1779 by the industrialist Adrian de Boyce. In honor of him, she was subsequently named. Over the years, the mill managed to change more than one owner, but continued to properly perform its work. Peat, tobacco, shell, grain were crushed on it, but with the loss of profitability of the enterprise that used the Adrian mill, the question of its demolition was raised. To prevent this from happening, one Dutch organization for the preservation of windmills in the Netherlands in 1923 bought the building. However, it was not possible to save him for a long time. After 9 years, due to a fire that occurred for unknown reasons, the mill almost completely burned down. It was possible to restore it and make it as a museum 70 years later in 2002. It conducts excursions about the structure and operation of windmills, and from the observation platform the city is fully visible.
And this is interesting!
Those who are attracted to Haarlem will be interested to learn some other interesting facts. For instance:
- At one time, when the brewing industry brought maximum income, a whole river was allocated for its needs. Only some brewers took water from it, and since the water had to remain clean, everyone else was forbidden to use the pond. In case of disobedience, residents could be fined, sent to prison or exiled to slavery.
- In the church of St. Bavon, one of the attractions of Haarlem (Netherlands), located on the Grote Markt, there is an organ that is recognized as one of the best in the world. The musical instrument was assembled by K. Muller in the period from 1735 to 1738. Then its size was superior to other existing bodies. At one time, Georg Handel, Wolfgang Mozart, Felix Mendelssohn managed to play it. The instrument has been restored several times and continues to be used for concerts.
- In the spring, a flower festival is held in Haarlem, to which a huge number of flower growers come. Thanks to him, for many people the capital of North Holland is known as the “City of Flowers”.
How to get to Haarlem (Netherlands) from Amsterdam?
Haarlem and Amsterdam have a very convenient road junction. The easiest way to get into the city is by train. First you need to get to Amsterdam Centraal train station, buy a ticket and go on a short trip. Trains to Haarlem run every 7-8 minutes, for this reason even if they were delayed by some train, then it will not take a long time to wait for the next one. Travel time will be 15-20 minutes.
Also, judging by the tourist reviews, Haarlem (Netherlands), the city is incredibly beautiful and is worth a visit without fail. Fortunately, getting to it is easy.