The first World Heritage Site chosen in the Netherlands, Schokland is a former island in the Dutch Zuiderzee. When the Noordoostpolder was reclaimed from the sea in 1942, Schokland ceased being an island. The remains are still visible as a slightly elevated part in the polder and by the still partly intact retaining wall of the waterfront of 'Middelbuurt'.
This defence line is the only example of a fortification based on the control of water. It was built between 1883 and 1920 and extends 135 kms around the city of Amsterdam. The protection of the center of the country was ensured by a network of 45 forts and their artillery acting in concert with temporary flooding from polders and an intricate system of canals and locks.
The Wouda Pumping Station is the largest steam-pumping station ever built. It opened in 1920 and is still in operation.
The oldest area of reclaimed land in The Netherlands.
This small family house, with its interior, the flexible spatial arrangement, and the visual and formal qualities, was a manifesto of the ideals of the De Stijl group of artists and architects in the Netherlands in the 1920s, and has since been considered one of the icons of the Modern Movement in architecture.
Lynn Salmon <>{ Last updated: April 23, 2007