B&B IJsselhuys

Two parts

by OlafS

Kampen is divided in two parts; first the actual old town, and second a much smaller part where the station is. Each part is on another side of the river, with a bridge in between. The smaller part probably once belonged to the village of Ijsselmuiden and was annexed by Kampen in order to have a station. Anyway, if you go to Kampen by train take some time to admire the view at the old town that you have from this side of the river. It's one of the nicest in the country.

welcome to my hometown Kampen

by punaise

"Welcome"

Welcome to Kampen, the town where I live. It is located at the border of the river IJssel, just at the point where the river flows into the IJsselmeer.
Kampen has a lot if things to see and to explorer. Hundreds of monuments,

Kampen

by OlafS

"A Sunday visit"

Anyone who visits this small town will probably see that this place once was quite important. But no one will see that Kampen once was one of the most powerful cities of the Northern Netherlands, perhaps even the mightiest. Mightier than Utrecht, city of the bishop. Mightier than Amsterdam, the backward village that later became Kampen's successor. Mightier than the cities of Arnhem and Nijmegen, cities favoured by the German emperor. Even mightier than Zwolle, the current provincial capital. Kampen was a leading member of the Hanseatic League and became rich by the trade on the Baltics. Today many buildings remind of this former glory, but the town itself lost its importance when its access to the sea silted. Amsterdam took its chance and took over Kampen's position. The rest, as they say, is history. Nowadays Kampen is a quiet little town. A very protestant town too, with no less than two theological universities, representing competing branches of calvinism. We visited the town on a Sunday. It seemed as if all locals were hiding, as many of them belong to conservative protestant denominations that believe that on Sundays you're not supposed to do anything besides going to church. The few other tourists didn't help much to change the image of a ghost town Kampen presented itself with on that day. Which was great for taking pictures of course, but as it was such a lovely day it was a bit sad too.

HANSEATIC CITIES OF THE NETHERLANDS

by carolineraat

"Medieval beauty along the IJssel river"

The Hanseatic league was a medieval trade agreement among northern European cities. Many ships sailed the rivers and seas between the cities in Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Now, there is still much of their beauty left. The dutch hanseatic cities are concentrated along the IJssel river.

Picture: Zutphen river front.

"Kampen"

The medieval town hall

"Zutphen"

renaissance facades in one of the old streets

"Hattem town gate"

"A little map"

"Kampen"

On this picture you can see the beautiful river front of Kampen

"Hattem"

One of the remainings of Hattem's rich past

"Kampen"

another town gate

"Zutphen"

the Walburgis church still holds its Librije, nowadays the oldest public library in Europe! A unique place...

"Deventer"

the so-called church on the mount

"Doesburg"

not far from Arnhem

"Kampen"

the beautiful riverside