Almelo Attractions

Almelo, lying close to the German frontier, was formerly the chief textile center in the Twente area in the eastern Netherlands. From about 1830 woolen and cotton goods were produced in factories and exported; in earlier days flax had been processed in home workshops. Merchants from Vriezenveen (north of Almelo) had a trading post as far afield as St Petersburg. The metalworking industry also made an important contribution to the town's economy. At the peak of its development, industry provided employment for 80% of the working population.

The centre of Almelo has the castle belonging to the Counts of Almelo, it is centuries old and popular with tourists.