When you arrive at Grote Markt in Haarlem, you will not miss the imposing City Hall building, across from the big church, the Grote Kerk or St.-Bavokerk. It was originally a count’s hunting mansion built in 1250. After large fires in 1347 and 1351, William II, Count of Holland donated…
Tag: Noord-Holland
Haarlem
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Corrie Ten Boom House Museum
The story started in 1837 when Willem ten Boom opened a small watch shop at the front of his family home in Barteljorisstraat in Haarlem. Ten Boom family was known to be devoted Christians, inspired to help their community and active in social work around town. Their corner property along…
Amsterdam
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Grandfather Clock by Maarten Baas
After witnessing two mesmerizing art performance clocks, I had to see the following: The Grandfather Clock 📍Rijksmuseum On display between rooms 0.5 and 0.6; ground floor corridor connecting the Middle Ages halls and the Asian Pavilion. A giant 2-metre modern grandfather clock in real-time featuring a man ‘trapped’ behind the…
Haarlem
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Haarlem Red Light District
UPDATED 02/05/2025 The unsuspected Haarlem Red Light District towards the end of this street at Begijnhof. It is a small cluster of operations around Waalse Kerk Haarlem or Walloon Church Haarlem. Yes, a real church! The undistinguished pink building with red lanterns hanging outside is Het Poortje, a brothel in…
Amsterdam
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Levend Paardenmuseum | The Living Horse Museum
For a century and a half, the elite of ‘Amsterdammers’ have been riding horses at this manège. The Hollandsche Manege is the oldest riding school in the Netherlands, dating back to 1744. It is located right in the center of Amsterdam, a stone’s throw from Leidseplein, adjacent to Vondelpark and…
Amsterdam
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Mozes en Aäronkerk
Every time I go shopping for bric-a-brac at Amsterdam’s oldest flea market on Waterlooplein / Waterloo Square, I would always look up and wonder about this imposing two identical 30-meter-high towers corner building called Mozes en Aäronkerk / Moses and Aaron Church. It is unmistakably one of the iconic buildings…