Alkmaar Attractions
Alkmaar lies on the North Holland Canal, 8km/5mi from the coast of the North Sea. The charming old town center, with many fine architectural monuments and old guild-houses and burghers' houses of the 16th to 18th centuries, has been preserved unspoiled. With its famous cheese market, it is one of the best-known tourist attractions in the Netherlands.
Alkmaar is the main center of an extensive rural area, with schools and shops which are patronized by many inhabitants of the province. Its economy depends principally on the varied range of industry established to the northeast of the town, attracted by its excellent transport facilities. The main types of industry are engineering, paper-making, textiles and foodstuffs (canning plants, chocolate manufacture), together with organ-building.
History
Alkmaar was founded in the 10th century and first appears in the records in 939. It received its municipal charter in 1254. Its heyday, however, came only after the Dutch wars of liberation from Spanish rule, in which Alkmaar played a special role, being the first town to beat off an attack by Frederick of Toledo, the Duke of Alba's son, in 1573 by opening the sluices and flooding the surrounding countryside: a victory which initiated the final defeat of the Spanish forces.
Alkmaar is the main center of an extensive rural area, with schools and shops which are patronized by many inhabitants of the province. Its economy depends principally on the varied range of industry established to the northeast of the town, attracted by its excellent transport facilities. The main types of industry are engineering, paper-making, textiles and foodstuffs (canning plants, chocolate manufacture), together with organ-building.
History
Alkmaar was founded in the 10th century and first appears in the records in 939. It received its municipal charter in 1254. Its heyday, however, came only after the Dutch wars of liberation from Spanish rule, in which Alkmaar played a special role, being the first town to beat off an attack by Frederick of Toledo, the Duke of Alba's son, in 1573 by opening the sluices and flooding the surrounding countryside: a victory which initiated the final defeat of the Spanish forces.
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Cheese Market
Alkmaar is perhaps best known for its cheese market. This interesting Friday event, featuring all kinds of cheese, is a prominent tourist attraction.
Cheese Market
The Cheese Market in Alkmaar takes place every Friday morning from late spring to late summer. Events include cheese porters selling cheese on the streets, auctions, crafts stalls, and street entertainment.
Dutch Cheese Museum
The Dutch Cheese Musuem in Alkmaar is located in the Weigh house, and features exhibits on the history of cheese making.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Closed |
| Close | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
Excise Tower
At the end of the Verdronkenoord, in Alkmaar's Bierkade, on the North Holland Canal, is the elegant Accijnstoren (Excise Tower), which dates from 1622. From here Bierkade leads to the Victoriepark, in which stands a monument commemorating the defense of the town against the Spaniards in 1573.
Fish Hall
From the Grote Kerk, Alkmaar's main street, the Langestraat, runs east to the Mient (Fish Hall). On the right (No. 46) is the Town Hall and in Doelenstraat, on the left, is the Municipal Museum.
Gabled Houses
In the picturesque old part of Alkmaar around the Mient, on the grachten of Luttik Oudorp and Verdronkenoord and in the adjoining streets there are many old gabled houses of the early 16th century.
Hans Brinker Museum
Alkmaar's Hans Brinker Museum, at Voordam 6, has a collection of sledges and skates.
The museum traces the social history and culture of Noord-Holland through exhibits.
The museum traces the social history and culture of Noord-Holland through exhibits.
Hours
April 1 to September 30
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | Closed | 13:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
October 1 to March 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | 13:00 |
| Close | 17:00 |
Hof van Sonoy
In Nieuwesloot in Alkmaar, on a site occupied from medieval times to 1500 by the convent of Mary Magdalene, are the Hof van Sonoy (1576; fine 17th century tympanum over the doorway), which was occupied for a time by William I's representative, and the Huis van Achten, notable for its Regents' Room and its fine woodcarving.
Hofje van Splinter
The Hofje van Splinter (1646), at Ritzevoort 2 in Alkmaar, is an old people's home for eight ladies, notable for its fine paving and its barrel-vaulted timber roof borne on five Tuscan columns.
Molen van Piet
The Molen van Piet, an old flour mill (1769) on the line of Alkmaar's former town walls, at the end of Ritzevoort, is still in use.
Municipal Museum
Alkmaar's Municipal Museum (Stedelijk Museum), at Doelenstraat 5, was formerly, from the 17th century, the headquarters of St Sebastiaans Schutterij (Marksmen's Guild), which from the 14th century to the beginning of the 19th acted as the town guard. The museum displays paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries and of the Bergen school, a collection of coins and material on the history of the town.
Municipal Museum
Canadaplein 1
Alkmaar, Noord-Holland 1811
Netherlands
Canadaplein 1
Alkmaar, Noord-Holland 1811
Netherlands
Hours
March 1 to December 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
Old Town
The old town of Alkmaar is of great interest with many buildings of historical and artistic importance.
Schermer - Windmill
Near Alkmaar in Schermerhorn, at Noordervaart 2, is a windmill dating from 1634, now a museum.
Schermerhorn Museum Mill
Noordervaart 2
Schermerhorn, Noord-Holland 1636 VL
Netherlands
Noordervaart 2
Schermerhorn, Noord-Holland 1636 VL
Netherlands
Hours
April 1 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
November 1 to March 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | 10:30 |
| Close | 16:30 |
Always closed on:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
St Johanneskerk
Alkmaar's St Johanneskerk was founded in the mid 15th century by the Knights of St John and was rebuilt after a fire in 1760. It has an 18th century hanging pulpit and an organ by Christian Müller.
Town Hall
The eastern section of Alkmaar's Late Gothic Town Hall (Stadhuis) dates from the early 16th century, the western part from 1694. Of particular interest are the Council Chamber, the hall containing a cupboard in the traditional style of the Schermer area, the Polder Room and the Renaissance magistrates' room. The Nierop Room, with a wooden ceiling and period furniture, dates from 1634.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | Closed | Closed |
| Close | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | ||
| Open | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | ||
| Close | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
Waagplein
From the end of the Langestraat in Alkmaar a street on the left leads through the Mient area to the Waagplein, in which the cheese market is held.
Weigh-House
The municipal Weigh-House (Waag), at Waagplein 2 in Alkmaar, was originally the chapel of a religious house dedicated to the Holy Ghost (1341); it was converted into a weigh-house in 1582. In the tower (1595- 99) is a carillon of 1688. The Weigh-House now contains the Cheese Museum.
Hours
April 1 to September 30
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 9:00 | 10:00 | Closed |
| Close | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
Wildemans Hofje
The Wildemans Hofje in the Oude Gracht, originally a barn, was converted into a temporary church in 1658.
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