I did not know that there was a concentration camp in the Netherlands. “Kamp Vught” was actually the only SS concentration camp outside Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Did you know this fact? Vught is a village a few kilometers south of ‘s-Hertogenbosch (colloquially known as Den Bosch),…
Groningen
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StoryWorld
I was not sure when I heard about this museum, Storyworld. A Dutch museum for comics, animation and games? I am not much of an enthusiast, so this could be a great learning experience. It is located inside a multi-purpose building, Forum Groningen on the 6th floor, right in the…
Haarlem
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Frans Hals’ Grave(s)
Frans Hals was born in Antwerp, around 1582. He is the famous 17th-century Dutch portrait painter who worked, lived and spent the rest of his life here in Haarlem. Hals painted vast portraits of people smiling or laughing from all levels of society. He is known for his playful technique,…
Haarlem
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Grote Kerk or Sint Bavokerk of Haarlem
There something about this big church towering over Haarlem’s market square. I would always look up and admire that beautiful lead covering wooden tower soaring high towards the sky. This is the Great Church or Sint Bavo Church of Haarlem. “Grote Kerk or Sint Bavo Kerk” in Dutch. Not to…
Amsterdam
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Family Six Collection
Have you heard about the Six Family? It started with Jean Six (1575–1617) and his wife Anna Wijmer (1584–1654), a well-to-do cloth merchant from France. Their son, Jan Six (1618 – 1700), became the son-in-law of Amsterdam mayor, Nicolaes Tulp, when he married Margaretha, in 1655. Jan emerged as magistrate…
Day Trips
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Het Paard van Marken
At the very tip of Marken island … The iconic lighthouse Paard van Marken or Horse of Marken was built in the 1700 as a square beacon to mark the Zuiderzee route from the islands in the North through Amsterdam. The current round lighthouse tower designed by J. Valk in…