If I would ask someone; what do you think of when you hear the word Volendam? Then I will hear for sure; the famous Volendam dike, but of course also famous singers and the fishing will be mentioned. In my eyes Volendam is much more than just that and you will discover that during this fun and educational walk through Volendam.
The walk through Volendam starts at the Volendams museum and the VVV/Tourist Information of Volendam. The tourist office building is located in the left part of the museum building. At the tourist office you can buy the booklet for the walk. You can immediately take the opportunity to discover the Volendam museum from the inside. This is really worth it. You can read all about this museum in one of my previous blogs. What I can tell you is that there are seven million cigar bands placed in this museum that together form the unique cigar bands house.
After the museum you walk straight on to the renewed Europaplein. The building where the Kruidvat is now located used to be a police station and in the right part was the post office. In the Stationsstraat on the left it was possible to get on the tram to Amsterdam between 1932 and 1956. This tram connection is no longer there today. If you look into the Calcoengracht in front of the bridge, you will see ten houses if you count well. These houses are very special. You can read more about it during the walk through Volendam.
The road continues left over the bridge. You will arrive at the Edammerweg. That's remarkable, the Edammerweg in Volendam. Let me explain. The water that flows along the Edammerweg is the Ye. The Ye was a former peat stream that flowed from Edam to Volendam into the Zuiderzee. In 1357 this was still the former inner harbour of Edam. After Edam received city rights, this inner port was dammed with the Follendam. In 1462 Volendam is the first to be named as a village since around that time 5 people lived there. A funny fact about how Volendam gets its name. Later, the barge sailed in from Edam at this place.
After the Damming there was in this part "De Volendammer Meer". In 1663 this lake was drained with a mill, but only a hundred years ago houses were built here. These were flooded again during the flood disaster in 1916. During the walk you will discover what happened later with this part of Volendam.
In the Jozefstraat you find the Jozefschool. On the wall of this school hangs a sign that indicates how high the water was during the flood disaster. This school used to be a boys' school. After the Jozefstraat you will arrive in the Conijnstraat and in the Schippersgracht. Nice to know is that these streets are built with a street plan in the form of a botter with names that refer to parts of this boat. For example, you will find the Sword-street or the Gaff-street here. Do you spot them all? If you have found all the streets, you have built an entire botter yourself.
On the wall of the st. Nicolaashof nursing home hangs a work of art in the shape of the botter. On this artwork you can read almost all the nicknames of Volendam families. These nicknames were given to keep the surnames apart.The route continues along the Vincentiuskerk and the cemetery to the Noordeinde. This church is almost always open to burn a candle for a loved one or to view this beautiful church from the inside. To get to the Noordeinde you go up with the stairs. The dike consists of the Noordeinde and the Zuideinde. During the walk you will read how these two dikes were created.
There you are finally on the famous dike. If you walk to the left you will come out of the dike in Edam after a brisk walk, but that is for another time. Now of course you go to the right where you can already see the world-famous Art Hotel Spaander. The hotel dates back to 1881. Around the turn of the century, countless painters and photographers stayed here who made Volendam and the traditional costumes known all over the world. The inn is still in its original state and is perfect for a cup of coffee, but the newly landscaped beach terrace is also wonderful to stay in the summer.
Volendam is from origin entirely Catholic and therefore also has two Catholic churches. St. Mary's Church and St. Vincent's Church. This church was built in 1882. That was more than a hundred years ago. In the booklet you can read who the architect is of this beautiful church building.
The Maze is for me the most original part of Volendam because this is actually the oldest center of Volendam. This is the place where it all started for Volendam and where families have really experienced great poverty. These houses were built without a street plan and housed very large families with more than 10 people. The women slept at home and the fathers and boys on the boats. The houses are placed in no particular order and against each other and that is why it is called the maze. If you don't pay attention, you'll get lost before you know.
The walking route then continues to the harbor of Volendam where the first Volendammers used to settle. Here you can take pictures in traditional costumes or enjoy a fresh herring at one of the herring stalls. In the haven of Volendam there used to be hundreds of botters. During the walk you will find out why these have disappeared over the years. Do you want to go to Marken? This is possible with a cruise with the Marken Express. You can buy a ticket for this at the ticket office or purchase it online. The trip to Marken takes about 25 minutes. A nice addition to your day or holiday in Volendam. I know that because I have been a sailor on the marker express for 5 months.
In 1934 a fish auction was built in Volendam because a lot of fish was caught by Volendamfishermen. Before that time they had to bring the fish to the market on the IJ in Amsterdam.
Along the dike you will find the bronze statue of a Volendam grandmother. In Volendam, a grandmother is called an “Ootje”. The monument in memory of the victims of the New Year's fire in café 't Hemeltje on 1 January 2001 can also be seen along this walking route. Experience Volendam is now located in this pand. There you can learn even more about the history of Volendam and the flood disaster in 1916. With the use of VR glasses, this is a real experience!
In the booklet you can read more about the buildings as you walk towards the Zuideinde. There follows a choice to extend the walk with a visit to the Palingrokerij of Smit Bokkum and the Palingsoundmuseum. These two sights are well worth the extra walk. Because who doesn't want to know how the famous Volendam eel is smoked? In addition, you will find out in the museum which famous artists were born and raised in Volendam.
The Pellersplein ownes its name to the time when there were still plenty of shrimp caught and peeled by the local population. The peeling of shrimp was an extra merit for the large families in Volendam. Many children who have been adults for a long time now have a great dislike for peeling shrimp. When they came out of school they were not allowed to play with friends or girlfriends, no first peel a bag of shrimp and then have fun. That was the number one rule.
The Protestant Stolphoevekerk is one of the 3 national monuments of Volendam. Next to the church are 2 classrooms that used to serve as a public primary school. Nowadays, these are hobby rooms. Perhaps you are lucky and you can take a look inside, otherwise you can take a look through the windows.
The walking route continues to the Julianaweg. The streets on your right refer to various species of fish. In this part there used to be the fish processing industry. See if you can discover the fish species in the street names and you will know exactly what used to be done here.
In 1962, the St. Mary's Church was built with modern influences. The roof is reminiscent of a nave and in the church you will find stained glass Stations of the Cross made by the glazier Joep Nicolas. This church is always open for visitors to light a candle or to simply take a look inside. This is also the last part of the walking route before you arrive back at the museum of Volendam.
Take a seat on a bench or settle on the terrace and read about the history of Volendam in the booklet of the walking route. Now you can rightly say that you have seen everything that Volendam defines.
Curious about other activities and sights in the area? Then read one of the other blogs or take a look at the further offer on the website.
Office Edam:
Visitors: Damplein 1 (Town hall) 1135 BK Edam
Postal: PO Box 91, 1135 ZJ Edam
Tel +31299-315125
Office Volendam:
Visitors: Zeestraat 37 (Museum) 1131 ZD Volendam
Postal: PO Box 44, 1130 AA Volendam
Tel +31299-363747
© 2024 Stichting Tourist Information Edam-Volendam
