Looking for beautiful spots? We do have a few hotspots for you. How about some wind in your face on the dike, looking out over the 'old country' from the Ramspol tower? Or the former Zuiderzee island of Schokland, a World Heritage Site where time seems to have stood still? You will also find a nice piece of history at the Rotterdamse Hoek, where debris from the German bombardment of Rotterdam in 1940 was used to finish the dyke. A 7.5-metre-high lighthouse marks this special spot.
Oud-Kraggenburg is a former (peninsular) island in the Zuiderzee with a lighthouse built on a mound. At the foot of that mound is a small harbour of refuge, where once ships could take shelter during fog and storms. Today, Oud-Kraggenburg is a harbour on dry land, elevated above the polder landscape. A picturesque spot thanks to the white-topped house, the red lighthouse on top of the roof and the cast-iron fog bell at the edge of the roof. Old Kraggenburg is only accessible during Open Monument Days.
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"Feast your eyes "
World heritage site Schokland is an island on dry land, still rising above the polder landscape. Here and also at Emmeloord's Old Harbour, the Zuiderzee can still be seen and felt with a little imagination. Schokland was the first Dutch monument to be inscribed on the World Heritage List, which is only logical. The former Zuiderzee island includes nine national monuments and five archaeological sites. These include a light keeper's house and a church building. In addition, hundreds of archaeological mounds, church remains, dike systems and other relics have been found. And then remains of prehistoric and early-historic communities have also been found.
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Nagele has a unique place in the architectural history of the Netherlands. Designed by famous architects in the 1950s, the village is characterised by flat roofs. A visit to Museumhuis Polman takes you (back) to the 1950s. You experience for yourself what it was like to have lived here in the Noordoostpolder during the years of reconstruction.
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In the Kuinder forest lies the Kuinderburcht. This centuries-old ruin is a tangible reminder of the infamous Lords of Kuinre. They controlled the trade rivers Kuinder and Linde from here in the twelfth century. They also used the castle as a base for their raids. The castle was probably built between 1165 and 1197 and was owned by Lord of Kuinre Heynric die Crane. In 1197, the Frisians destroyed it, after which it was rebuilt in 1204. After the reclamation of the Noordoostpolder , the foundations were partially reconstructed. Want to take a look at Kuinderburcht? You can do so from the car park on Hopweg. From there, an asphalt path leads to the ruins.
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The Germans' devastating bombardment of the centre of Rotterdam in World War II forms the basis of the Rotterdamse Hoek in the Noordoostpolder. The 5.5-kilometre dyke was built with some of the Rotterdam rubble that remained. The builders themselves named the dike corner Rotterdamse Hoek in memory of the horrific event. A 7.5-metre-high lighthouse marks the spot.
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