Naarden

Naarden was first colonized between the 800 and 900 AD, about 20 km south of its current location. The town was owned by the powerful Bishops of Utrecht and its name was 'Naruthi' meaning 'near a small river'. By 1131 it had become one of the largest cities in The Netherlands and it was recognized by many as the country's capital. The emperor of Germany, Otto I, gave the control of the city to the monks residing in the monastery at Eelde. In practice that meant the owner of the monastery, Count Wichman II van Hamaland ruled Naarden. Otto I also gave Naarden its shield, which consists of a double black eagle sitting on a gold background.

Naarden has always been a fortress town with the principal function of protecting the land against invaders. The first stone fortifications were built by Count Floris V of Holland and Zeeland. He constructed a stone fortress on the River Vecht that ensured control over all trade on the estuary. In 1296 he was stabbed to death on the banks of the Naardermeer, during a conspiracy by the former landowners, the bishops of Utrecht. After that, they once again controlled Naarden under the leadership of Bishop William van Mechelin.

In 1350 the Spanish Civil War, which would last 80 years, started. At the time, Spain was one of the most powerful countries in Europe. The Spanish owned a fleet of ships, the Spanish Armada, with enough ammunition to aid them in their quest to conquer several European countries. Despite fighting bravely many Dutch nationals died at the hands of the Spanish and Naarden was burned to the ground. In 1400 it was rebuilt 20 kilometers north from its original location and the emphasis was on defense. Naarden was subsequently captured twice: once by the French and once by the Prussians, during the Napoleonic Wars.

Nowadays, Naarden is the only fortification in Europe that has unique double walls and moats. Its 5-star shape can best be observed from the air. Naarden is one of the few remaining bastions in The Netherlands and it ceased to be used as a fort in 1926. The old, fortified part of town is known as Naarden-Vesting.

The Nederlands Vesting Museum is situated in the Turfpoort Bastion, one of the five points of Naarden-Vesting's star-shaped fortifications. The star-shape was influenced by the French engineer Vauban's architecture and has remained unchanged since the 17th century. The museum is underground and when you walk through it, you will get to the roof of the fort, which provides excellent views of the Hollandse Waterline, the Water Defense Line with its moats and bridges. Boat tours on the water are available. Inside the museum are also a 61 meter-long 'eavesdroppers' passageway and the Kraijenhoff collection. On Easter Monday, Whit Monday and every third Sunday of the months May, June, July, August and September, cannoners, dressed in period costume fire a 12-pound cannon, while other people in 17th-century dress entertain the public.

Apart from the fortifications, there are several other interesting sights in Naarden-Vesting. The Comenius Museum is a place of pilgrimage for Czech travelers, as it is dedicated to the Czech scholar, philosopher, theologian and educator, Jan Amos Comenius (1592-1670). The museum shows artifacts, video presentations and a chronology of Comenius' works and beliefs to the public throughout the year. Comenius was a protestant, who spent much of his life fleeing from Catholic persecution. He had lived in Poland, Hungary, Sweden and England before he spent the last fourteen years of his life in The Netherlands. He is buried in the adjacent Waalse Kapel or Waloon chapel. The tombstone is marble and the mausoleum in the chapel is adorned with woodcarvings and a bronze screen in front of the tomb. Czech artisians built it in 1930. Comenius wrote his most famous book, 'Orbis Sensualium Pictus', while he was living in Naarden. At the time, the town provided refuge to people who were fleeing political persecution, just as he was fleeing religious persecution, and thus it is apt that he is buried here.

Not far from the pilgrimage site, which is housed in a former monastery, is the Saint Vitus or De Grote Kerk (the Great Church). It is a central meeting place where organ music nights and choral music performances are held throughout the year. The church has excellent acoustics and a wooden ceiling that is adorned with beautiful paintings. De Grote Kerk is one of the oldest surviving churches in The Netherlands. It was built in the 15th century and it is one of the few buildings that survived a Spanish invasion in 1572.

Naarden's Oude Stadhuis (Old Town Hall) is an important building. It was built in 1601 and it has retained its original Dutch Renaissance charm. The roof has stair-shaped steps on both sides. The building is very popular for weddings. During the 17th century it was used to store weapons, but nowadays it is a conference hall.

The Spaanse Huis (Spanish House) is situated on the Turfpoortstraat. Originally it was a church, while later it was used to house migrants to The Netherlands. In 1615 it became Naarden's Town Hall. During the 19th century, the part of the building known as De Waag was in use as a surveillance headquarters. Later it became the garrison bakery and between 1924 and 1992 it was in use as a museum. Nowadays it is home to the Façade Stone, a memorial piece of rock that commemorates the 1572 Spanish War. In the nearby Galerie Groll you can see old paintings of the town.

There are many hotels and restaurants in Naarden. The town has excellent rail and road links with Amsterdam and other towns in the region, as well as the other major cities in The Netherlands. Naarden is 20 km southeast of Amsterdam.

Not far from Naarden are the nature areas of the Naarderbos and the Naardemeer.