"Enkhuizen" Enkhuizen by nighthawk

Location:
In the province of North Holland, on the eastern-most tip of the peninsula called West Friesland.

History:
Already known in the 10th century, it was granted a city charter in 1355 after it merged with Gommerskerspel. In the 16th and 17th century it vied with Hoorn for Zuiderzee supremacy. In 1625 Enhuizen had 25,000 inhabitants (1995: 16,000) and was the town a charter member of both the powerful United East Indies Company (VOC) and the West Indies Company (WIC). The draw of Amsterdam was also felt in Enkhuizen which saw many merchants move there. A century later, Enkhuizen's population was down to 12,000. The decline continued well into the 19th century. Seed cultivation and trade brought back some prosperity and a rise in population.

Present day:
The Golden Age seems to have taken root in the entire city, which also caters very well to people looking for modern amenities and recreation. Canals, buildings, remnants of the fortress, the harbor, the cobblestones, parks, and shoreline also speak of its past and history is just around the corner. Heritage buildings from other towns and villages around the IJsselmeer have been moved to and restored in the open air Zuiderzee Museum, a historical tour of the area in a nutshell. One_time ferry link with Frisian Stavoren is now a tourist attraction.

Main attraction:
The entire inner city with many renaissance and baroque buildings, such as the West Church and the South Church and the old fortress gate Drommedaris.

Other features:
The Zuiderzee Museum (and its indoor exhibits) with heritage buildings and old commercial and pleasure boats. The 17th century City Hall. Warehouses of the VOC; the Koepoort (another old gate house). Waag Museum with original interiors of local medical practitioners. VOC Museum. Ship-n-a-bottle Museum. Weaponry Museum in the old city jail. Museum of Maritime Art.

Surrounding area:
Flower auction at Bovenkarspel; recreational area Streekbos; campsites; Houtribdijk through open water to Lelystad; seasonal ferries to Stavoren and Urk.

statue of Potter in front of the tower

- 17th century painters Paulus and Pieter Potter (Paulus is the statue in front of the tower;
- admirals Quant and Buyskes;
- 17th century theologians Witsius and Brakel;
- Dutch East Indies governor Jakob Mossel;
- former Finance Minister, drs. G. Zalm.

• Pros:Nice sized town, easy to walk
• Cons:Can't think of any, except perhaps the many tourist ....
• In a nutshell:Open air museum gives a nice overview of how the Dutch lived