Without fail, I would always take a moment and admire this landmark whenever I walk past it. This is the Montelbaanstoren. The lower stone structure was constructed in 1516. Almost a century later in 1606, the timber spire top with a clock and bells was added in the Renaissance style,…
Amsterdam
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Mayor Bosshardt
A monument right here in front of the Dutch branch of “Leger des Heils” on Oudezijds Voorburgwal 14, otherwise known as the Salvation Army. A bronze statue of a lady sitting down by the canal in Amsterdam’s Red Light District is none other than Majoor Bosshardt. The monument was commissioned…
Amsterdam
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Love or Generosity
When the trains suddenly stopped running and I had to take a long route via Amsterdam Zuid … I caught a glimpse of a massive artwork as my bus was making a turn. I had to go back! As it turned out, the gigantic statue is on the forecourt of…
Rotterdam
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Norwegian Church
Imagine my surprise when I came across such an unexpected and lovely building, right next to the entrance of the city park Het Park in Rotterdam. It is a church! A Norwegian Seamen’s Church to be exact. This is the Norsk Sjømannskirke. Its initial role was to receive, help and…
Den Haag
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Postzegelboom | Stamp Tree
The old chestnut tree locally known as the “postzegelboom” or stamp tree. It was probably planted in 1883. Famous because stamp collectors used to gather underneath this tree, to swap, buy or sell stamps. Back in the days, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as many as a hundred philatelists would stand…
North Brabant
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Justitiele Inrichtingen Vught
So, I was visiting Museum Vught – a former and the only SS concentration camp outside Nazi Germany during the Second World War. And this striking building was right next to it. It says “Justitiele Inrichtingen Vught”. “Something justice institution?”, I asked out loud. “It’s a prison!”, replied my hubby….
Delft
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Vermeer’s View of Delft
Here is Vermeer’s View of Delft (Dutch: Gezicht op Delft) present day. An approximate position from the modern riverbank on Hooikade, south of the historic center. View of Delft is an oil painting by Johannes Vermeer, painted around 1659–1661. This painting of the Dutch artist’s hometown is among his best-known…
Amsterdam
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Dutch Holocaust Memorial of Names
As I entered this garden, I found myself in a labyrinth of passages flanked by two-meter-high brick walls. The dramatic angular stainless steel mirrors seemed to be hovering above the columns. Upon closer look, names, date of birth and age of death were inscribed on individually stacked bricks. This is…