HollandRoute

The port of Amsterdam for a long period of time, suffered the problem that the sea was only accessible via the Zuiderzee, now called The IJsselmeer. A decision was made to develop the Noordhollands Canal. This canal connects Den Helder with Amsterdam and seemed to be the solution to the problem. The size of ships increased more then foreseen and the Noordhollands Canal soon appeared to be too narrow. The idea to dig a canal right through the dunes to make a short connection to the sea, showed to be the best solution for the long term. Diggers started their work in 1865. At November  1st 1886 the North See Canal was opened.

The opening of the North Sea Canal and the ongoing mechanisation, made the industries in the region develope prosperously. The foodindustry at the sides of the river Zaan grow out to be the Supplychamber of The Netherlands. Hulling works, bread-and biscuitfactories, (tin) canfactories, chocolatefactories formed an important part of the economy. Other important economic players were shipbuilding industry (NDSM), machine-factories (Stork-Werkspoor), and the diamondindustry.

Also of main importance for the industrial development was the Stelling van Amsterdam, a ring of defence around the Dutch capitol Amsterdam. In case of military threat, the region around Amsterdam could be flooded with water. The ring of defence was surrounded width dikes and fortresses. The citizens within the Stelling van Amsterdam had to be provisioned from the own region with food, materials and ammunition. Nearby Zaandam a large ammunitionfactory was established alongside the North Sea Canal, the Hembrugterrein.

From both the foodindustry and the Stelling van Amsterdam a large amount of buildings have remained. HollandRoute-Amsterdam/IJmond brings them all together and discloses them to the public. Factories, warehouses, mills, fortresses locks, canals, worker-housings and all that belongs to it can be found at this route. Three ERIH-anchorpoints are part of this regional route: Zaanse Schans, Heineken Experience and Pumping station The Cruquius.

Zaanse Schans is a quite wellknown location in Holland and abroad. Here, a magnificent view is given on the industrial development from before the steam-era. Especially mills and early mechanisation is to be exposed. Zaanse schans is not a museum: it is an area where people work and live, and that is freely accessible to the public.

Heineken Experience is more than the former brewery of the worldfamous trademark of beer. There is a lot to see that is connected to the process of brewing beer and the presentation of all that may be called an experience without any doubt. Visitors under the age of 18 may only enter Heineken Experience when accompanied by an adult. The brewery was build in 1867. The maltsilo’s, brewing-kettles and lagering-rooms are accessible to the public.

To empty the lake called Haarlemmermeer, three pumping stations were built: Leeghwater, Lynden and Cruquius. The Cruquius-pumping station remained exactly like the way it was build between 1846-1849. Most impressive is the steamengine with the largest cilinder in the world: it’s diameter measures almost 3,5 meters. The pumping station is housed in a beautifull building in neo-gothical style. Inside the buidling an exhibition tells the story about emptying the lake Haarlemmermeer, and the creation of the Haarlemmermeer-polder.