Dutch heritageSjoerd van der Meer, Thijs Celie and Jasper Foppen

De stelling van AmsterdamDe stelling van Amsterdam is a

defensive line around the city of Amsterdam. The line is 145 kilometres (91 miles) long and has 45 fortresses. The building of the line started in 1897 and around 1920 it was completely finished. It was meant to be a waterline, to hold the water back if the lands would be flooded in times of war.

 It has never served in times of war because the Netherlands was neutral in the First World War and Holland was attacked with planes in the Second. It is now a museum.

A fortress in the line.

IR D.F. WoudagemaalThe IR D.F Wouda-gemaal is the biggest still working steam pumping-station in the world. It was built in 1917 by IR D.F Wouda and named after him in 1947. The station would pump the water from the lake near Lemmer, one of the many “polders” in Holland. Today its purpose to pump the polder dry is taken over by electrical pumps. It is now a museum, and has a visitor’s centre where you can see how steam was put into electricity.

A picture of the pumping station

Rietveld-SchröderhuisHet Rietveld-Schröderhuis is a house created in “De Stijl” an art style that was very popular in the 20’s of the last century. It was built by the artist and architect Gerrit Rietveld for Truus Schröder-Schräder in 1925. Truus’ husband had died recently and wanted a new house for her and het three kids and after looking for a place to build it they found a place in the town she already lived: Utrecht.

There is nothing really special about the house, except that it is an unusual house in an otherwise normal street.

Droogmakerij de Beemster

The Beemster in North Holland is a textbook example of how Dutch large parts of the country have drained. This 17th century polder is designed to inland De Beemster threatening to turn into productive and profitable farmland. To make it more rugged solid embankment 42 kilometres long and came around it was a ring canal dug. Then 43 windmills began draining the lake.

In 1612 the Beemster was dry and could begin the design of the polder. There roads were built , ditches and ditches dug and built farms . Everything happened according to an orderly and tight geometric pattern. These rational subdivision and equipment The Beemster owes his glory. Beemster polder is a world heritage 1999

Willemstad CuraçaoThe Dutch West Indies Company (WIC) in 1634 founded a trading post on the St. Anna Bay on the island of Curacao. This sheltered bay formed a natural harbour.From about 1660 the slave trade came. Willemstad became a centre of the slave trade to the Americas.

The town developed in the course of 300 years on both sides of the St. Anna Bay to a Caribbean port city, where the influence of many different cultures was determined. Characteristic of Willemstad is the eclectic mix of architectural styles and Caribbean colours. There are many Dutch influences to be found, as well as Spanish and Portuguese. The historic town of Willemstad World is a world heritage since 1997.

Amsterdamse GrachtengordelIn the 17th century,

Amsterdam became a big city. The city experienced its golden age in economically, politically and culturally. A major expansion was desperately needed. The municipal authorities made an expansion plan that would make Amsterdam five times the size.

The canal, with its 14 kilometres of ditch and 80 bridges, is an urban, water engineering and architectural masterpiece. The area was the systematic planting of trees along the canals and the construction of beautiful gardens immediately a very green city. This planned urban expansion has so far served as an example in the 19th century around the world. The Canals of Amsterdam, was appointed in 2010 to UNESCO World Heritage

De waddenzee

The Waddenzee is a part of the North sea that is completely dry during low tide. It is part of the World heritage because of the rare fauna and animals that live there.

There are several islands in the Waddenzee: Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. There are also three uninhabited islands called Noorderhaaks, Rottumerplaat and Rottumeroog.

SchoklandSchokland used to be an island in the Zuider Zee, but it was slowly getting smaller by the sea. It was however completely found again after the poldering of Flevoland. It is now Unesco heritage and has a museum that tells the tale of the island. There are around 40,000 visitors on a yearly basis.

Molencomplex KinderdijkKinderdijk has about 19 windmills to keep the Polder

below dry. The polder has a surface of about 2,400 km2.The mills are so special because they are very old. They were built in 1738. And have museums in most of them. Showing the different uses of mills, such as grinding wheat and powering saws. There is also a cheese maker and a museum.