Nieuwkoop Things to Do

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Turn your back to the Reghthuys and cross the entire Reghthuysplein. At the end you can cross a small bridge and you will find the small NH church. It dates from 1821 and is built starting with 48,000 stones of the older (roman catholic) church that stood at this spot.

Behind the church is the graveyard of Nieuwkoop. In the oldest part you will find the graves of the Johan de Bruyn van Buytewegh (1590-1657) and his wife Maria Cornelia Duyvelant van Rhoon. This was the most famous nobel men in Nieuwkoop. He built windmills and locks which made the water less dangerous to the village. Under his supervision they also built the Reghthuys. And the tower (next tip) is the remains of their luxery house out in the country away from his residence the Hague.

Do have a look behind the graveyard, you have a great view on the Nieuwkoopse Plassen here.

In restaurant Tijsterman they have an unique floating cellar. The cellar is 276 year old and floats on the water of the Nieuwkoopse Plassen. The restaurant keeps its wine in the cellar, which is open and the central point of the restaurant.

In june 2003 it rained very hard and for the first time in 276 years the waterlevels roose to a height the cellar got stuck. Water started dripping in and the cellar sank in a short time. All the wines were lost, not because the botlles broke, but all the labels were loose. The cellar was recovered by the firedepartment, who pumped the water out and the wine was destroyed by order of the insurance company.

The cellar is in place again and can be visited. We didn´t visit it yet, so no pics......

Turn around and walk back, pass the tower and Regthuys. On your left hand you will also pass the old inn Het Vliegende Paard , (see nightlife tips).
On your right is another old inn: De Hollandsche Leeuw . The inn dates from before 1628 and is older than the tower and the Reghthuys. There are sources that state the inn was mentioned in 1124, this makes it one of the oldest inns in the Netherlands. The name is used since 1812, before that it was called t Reghthuys, uythangende de Goude Waegen . You noticed the name Reghthuys again? Yes this inn was used to speak justice. And they also had a jail inside. A barred window can still been seen in the wall.

The Hollandsche Leeuw is a cafe - restaurant. But the present manager is seriously ill, and awaiting someone to get a license to run it it is temporary closed......

Good news: it reopens friday september 6th 2003. Opening times:11:00-24:00 from tuesday to friday. saturday and sunday from 10:00-24:00.

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The dutch nature preservation organisation Natuurmonumenten is organising boattrips on the Nieuwkoopse Plassen with a guide. This guide can tell you all there is to know about the nature reserve and the animals living there.
The tour takes 2,5 hours and costs €6,80 pp, €3,40 for children.
Bookings can be made at the Nieuwkoop tourism bureau (vvv)
phone: 0172-571069

Pass the tower and turn right into the Dorpsstraat. Cross the street and have a look at number 125.
The oldest remaining house in Nieuwkoop dates from 1609.
It is beautifull restored and it doesn´t look old at all, especially when you just passed the old store of Fam Bots.
The building houses a realestate agent and a normal living house.

Walk further from the centre pass the doctorshouse at number 127 and on number 131 you will find the Remonstrantse kerk.
The Remonstrantse Gemeente is one of the oldest of their kind in the Netherlands (1627).
The present church dates from 1821 and inside are some features the 1700ths.

Next to the church is de Kosterij . It dates from the early 1800´s and always had a double function: living house for the churchkeeper and shop. Once there was a clothingshop and once a grocerie. Today it is just a living house.

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Starting in the centre of the village, the Reghthuysplein, you will find the most important buildings right in front of you.

The Regthuys was built in 1628. It was used as a cityhall (until 1933) to do the municipal administration and to speak justice. People who were found guilty were locked away in the cellar.

Nowadays it is used as an artgallery.