"A trip to Hoorn" a Hoorn Travel Page by isolina_it

This lively little port, founded in 1357, was once capital of West Friesland and boosted by the presence of the Dutch East India Company, a mighty trading city. It’s 17th Century glory is still visible around the central square and the harbor. Nowadays, a yachting marina that is full of old wooden fishing boats and barges. It’s most famous resident was explorer William Schoutens, who named the tip of South America, Cape Horn – after his home town in 1616. Another Hoorn Seaman, Abel Tasman, left his mark a few years later by putting New Zealand and Tasmania on the map.

This town on the IJsselmeer offers a combination of old and new. Monumental facades tell of the history of this former Dutch East India Company town. The street plan has to a large extent remained intact and historical buildings have been retained in their old forms. The town has at least 300 monuments.

Around the harbour there is something of everything to be found; an old lock, cheese warehouses and fully-equipped modern marinas. The 'Wooden Head' landing stage, now frequently used by the historic 'brown fleet' of wooden boats, and the Hoofdtoren tower date from the 17th century. Around the harbour there are various pavement cafes, restaurants and benches for watching what is going on.

Hoorn is also a museum town. There are four different museums within walking distance of one another. The Museum of the Twentieth Century is established in an old cheese warehouse and makes it possible to take a journey through time, while the Westfries Museum provides a picture of the history of the town and the region. Close to the harbour stands the small Toy Museum. Hoorn is the departure point of the Museum Steam Tram, which runs to and from Medemblik.