Location
129 to 160 of 387 results
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Metslawier (Mitselwier)
Metslawier (Mitselwier)
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Jachthaven Kuikhorne
Jachthaven Kuikhorne
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Kafee It wapen fân Fryslân
Kafee It wapen fân Fryslân
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Church of Brantgum
Church of Brantgum
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Fyftjin en Fierder
Fyftjin en Fierder
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Eleven Cities Tour sculpture Aukje in Stavoren
Eleven Cities Tour sculpture Aukje in Stavoren
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it Dreamlân holiday home
it Dreamlân holiday home
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Fries Landbouwmuseum (Frisian Agricultural Museum)
Fries Landbouwmuseum (Frisian Agricultural Museum)
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Buitenpost (Bûtenpost)
Buitenpost (Bûtenpost)
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Holiday home Blomsteech
Holiday home Blomsteech
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The liberation of Leeuwarden
The liberation of Leeuwarden
On 11 April 1945, it became clear that German resistance in the north of the Netherlands was limited. On 12 April, the Allies seized this opportunity to advance on Friesland as quickly as possible. One of the main goals was to liberate Leeuwarden. The 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade was designated for this purpose. But things would turn out differently.
On 12 April, the Royal Canadian Dragoons entered Friesland at Noordwolde. They were to conduct reconnaissance with their armoured vehicles and reach the Wadden Sea as quickly as possible. As a result, the German troops in Friesland and Groningen would be separated.
On the night of 14 to 15 April, three Squadrons of the Dragoons were at Suameer. Burgum could not be reached earlier that day, because the bridge at Burgummerdam had been blown up by the Germans.
Meanwhile, all sorts of things were happening in nearby Leeuwarden. On 12 April, the airfield had been blown up by the Germans. And they left the city on 14 April. Leeuwarden would not be defended. The Burgerweeshuis (Civil Orphanage) that had housed several German agencies was set on fire. An attempt to blow up the telephone exchange failed due to an ingenious intervention by the resistance. In the early morning of 15 April, the resistance also took to the streets en masse to occupy important points and to capture Germans who had remained behind.
The Dragoons in Suameer were in contact with the resistance in Leeuwarden. Due to various reports, it was unclear whether there was now heavy fighting in Leeuwarden or whether the Germans had left the city completely. Because the Germans had blown up important bridges on the route from Heerenveen to Leeuwarden, the infantry could not quickly provide assistance.
So, the Dragoons went to take a look for themselves. Initially, a patrol of four vehicles was sent via the Groningerstraatweg into the city around half past eleven. One of the Canadians in those vehicles recorded the following:
"As we entered the city, passing through the concrete barrier by the narrow passageway left for normal traffic, we were met by an almost hysterical patrol of Resistance men [...] In a few moments the news of our arrival had spread through the city, and we were given a fantastic welcome as we rolled slowly forward into the centre of town."A resident of Leeuwarden recalled:
"We lived close to the Groningerstraatweg, where our liberators passed. Many hundreds of us stood there, all happy spectators. All of a sudden, two ladies from the row flung themselves forward and threw their arms around the Canadians' necks, saying: "Oh darlings, you’re here at last!"After the patrol determined that the coast was clear, the entire C Squadron, a detachment of the Royal Canadian Engineers and Regimental Headquarters of Lieutenant-Colonel Landell followed. Leeuwarden had been liberated. After this, thousands took to the streets. One of the Canadians wrote:
"We halted, and were immediately surrounded by laughing, yelling mobs of people, bringing flowers to give to us, and cheering every move. The Resistance men were everywhere, doing their best to keep the people within bounds and off the cars, but their efforts were hardly necessary. I never saw a more satisfying gathering in my life."Leeuwarden had been liberated by the Dragoons through unexpected circumstances. On the night of 15 to 16 April, Canadian infantry moved into the city.
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B&B De Hoffstee
B&B De Hoffstee
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Former Courthouse
Former Courthouse
This building, now used as a shop, recalls the time when justice was administered in Kollum. It was purchased by the municipality in 1609 and has served a variety of purposes ever since. The Old Courthouse (Oude Rechthuis) played an important role during the Kollum Uprising of 1797.
The building was bought by the municipality of Kollumerland in 1609 and converted into a courthouse. It can be recognised by the statue of Lady Justice, which still watches over the street from the façade. The Rechthuis is the oldest stone building in Kollum.
Kollum was given its own courthouse because the distance between Groningen and Leeuwarden was too great to travel in a single day. The ground floor was used as an inn and even included stables for horses and cattle. To this day, the space has continued to serve a variety of purposes.
The Rechthuis played a significant role during the Kollum Uprising of 1797. In February of that year, the arrest of the Orangist supporter Abele Reitzes sparked an uprising in which a crowd stormed the courthouse in an attempt to free him. The revolt resulted in extensive damage and was harshly suppressed, with 168 people being arrested. You can learn more about these events at the statue of Jan Binnes further along this route. The prison cell in the building's basement has been preserved. From the bridge, you can still clearly see the small barred window of the former jail cell.
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The Philippusfenne – Kollum's Notary Garden
The Philippusfenne – Kollum's Notary Garden
The Philippusfenne, better known as Kollum's Notary Garden, is a beautiful historic garden created in the 19th century as an oasis of peace and greenery.
The Philippusfenne is a garden with a story. In 1847, the notary Daniel Hermannus Andreae commissioned the construction of a country house here, surrounded by an elegant garden designed in the English landscape style. The garden was created by the renowned landscape architect Lucas Pieters Roodbaard, who also designed the park surrounding Fogelsangh State in Veenklooster. Its winding paths, ornamental ponds and impressive mature trees create a unique combination of nature and history in the heart of Kollum.
One of the garden's most distinctive features is its abundance of stinzen plants—traditional spring-flowering bulbs associated with historic estates in the northern Netherlands. In early spring, snowdrops, crocuses and other rare flowers bloom in profusion, creating a fairy-tale landscape even during the colder months.
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Boutique Hotel Dokkum
Boutique Hotel Dokkum
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St. Nicholas Church Blije
St. Nicholas Church Blije
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Kollum (Kollum)
Kollum (Kollum)
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Schuilenburg Beach
Schuilenburg Beach
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Jannum Church Museum
Jannum Church Museum
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Sloten (Sleat)
Sloten (Sleat)
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De Groote Wielen
De Groote Wielen
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Sytzama House
Sytzama House
What is now a grand café has a history closely connected with local government, the Second World War, and Baron Willem van Sytzama, the building's first owner, after whom it is named.
In Van Sytzama's time, there were very few buildings nearby. Instead, a large landscaped garden with extensive ponds stretched out behind the house. Baron Willem van Sytzama believed he was happily married to Cecilia van Heemskerk, but she left him for another man. Although the baron took legal action in an attempt to prevent the separation, he was unsuccessful. She never returned, and he never remarried. In later years, however, the building served as Kollum's town hall, where hundreds of marriages were celebrated.
During the Second World War, Mayor Gerben Feitsma was sworn into office in this building. The ceremony took place with prominent displays of flags and the Nazi salute. For that reason, Feitsma is often described as an NSB (Dutch National Socialist Movement) mayor. At the same time, there is evidence that he occasionally helped prevent residents of Kollum from being sent to Germany for forced labour by employing them on his farm. Because of his wartime record, his name is not always included in historical accounts.
His brother, Jan Feitsma, became notorious for a different reason. As Prosecutor General, he ordered signs reading "Jews Forbidden" to be displayed throughout the occupied Netherlands. The policy caused considerable controversy in Kollum during the war. The local tennis club preferred to close its courts rather than display such a sign. In early 1945, Jan Feitsma was shot dead by members of the Dutch Resistance. His funeral in Kollum was attended by numerous members of the SS.
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Bonkevaart - Elfstedentocht Finish Line
Bonkevaart - Elfstedentocht Finish Line
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Sint-Gangulfuskerk Church in Ee
Sint-Gangulfuskerk Church in Ee
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St. Boniface's Church Damwâld
St. Boniface's Church Damwâld
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Skiedingsboskje Forest and Pingos next to the A7
Skiedingsboskje Forest and Pingos next to the A7
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Bij De Pastorie Boutique Hotel
Bij De Pastorie Boutique Hotel
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Sense of Place: Waiting for high tide
Sense of Place: Waiting for high tide
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Oostmahorn (De Skâns)
Oostmahorn (De Skâns)
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Camperplaces en cabins LauwersmeerPlezier!
Camperplaces en cabins LauwersmeerPlezier!
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St. Martin's Church Hallum
St. Martin's Church Hallum
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To B or not to B
To B or not to B
