Hoorn is a city and municipality in the northwest of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.
According an legend, Horn was founded in 716 by Hornus, the stepson of the Frisian king Radboud. At the same time, it is worth noting that officially nothing is known about the descendants of this king, as well as his wife, except for the existence of Tiandswid’s daughter.
According to ESBE, in the 17th century Horn “was a very flourishing city” . It was from here that the famous navigators Schouten (who gave the name to Cape Horn in honor of his homeland) and Kuhn were from.
In the 18th century, the city fell into decay and turned into a small fishing village. In the 19th century, the city was revived again, becoming the center of agricultural trade for the whole of West Frisia. With the construction of railways, the city has become an important transport hub for North Holland. After the Afsluitdijk was built in 1932, Horn lost access to the sea.
According to legend, the city received its name from the stepson of the Frisian king Hornus in 716. There is also a version that the name of the city came from the sign of one of the taverns, which depicted a horn. A third legend says that Horn got its name from the coast in the shape of a horn.
Known as the birthplace of the famous navigator Willem Schouten, who named in his honor the southernmost point of South America – Cape Horn.
today Hoorn is considered one of the most attractive cities in North Holland.
Access : Coordinates: 52.65, 5.066667 / Horn is located in the West-Friesland region in the province of North Holland. From Amsterdam , the capital of the country, the city is separated by 38 km along the highway.
/ From Amsterdam to Horn, the distance along the highway takes 38, so it takes half an hour to get here by train or car. / By train :
The most convenient way to travel from Amsterdam to Horn is by train. The first flight leaves at 6 am, the last one at 1–2 am. You can go from several stations at once:
Highlights :
- There are 383 state and 250 municipal cultural monuments in Horn. Most of them are located in the historical center, which is recognized as a protected area at the state level.
- statue of Jan Pieterszoon Coen (1587–1629), Governor General of the Dutch East India Company.
- the gevelsteen : This term means a decorative object built into the facade of a building, something like a bas-relief. Each of the gevelsteen is special and unique, as it was made in accordance with the profession and the name of the customer. There are about two hundred such “bricks” in Horn, each under state protection.
- Horn’s main square – Roode Steen, or Red Stone, is located in the south of the city. There is a monument to Jan Peterson Kuhn on it.
- The oldest building in the city is the Main Tower (Hoofdtoren). It rises in the city’s port, a 6-minute walk from Roode Steen.The Main Tower (Hoofdtoren) is one of the oldest buildings in the Horn. It is located in the port of the city, a six-minute walk from Roode Steen. Hoofdtoren was built in 1532 from brick and limestone, and in 1651 a small tower with bells appeared on top. In 1614 the tower lost its defensive significance – and it was rented by the North Greenland Company, which was engaged in the 17th century. whaling.
- The Great Church in (Grote Kerk) in the Gothic style with towers 60 m high, located on the Church Square, is also noteworthy.
- The West Friesland Museum (with 17 halls and many paintings) and the Chamber of Scales are considered significant buildings.
- There are many canals in the Horn, and from the south the city is washed by the waters of Lake Markermeer, which is part of the non-existent Zuiderzee Bay, which used to flow into the North Sea.
- North Church (Vrouwkerk) – is the oldest church in the city, the construction of which began in 1441, ended in 1519. Despite the restrained facade, as well as the fact that the church belongs to Protestants, you can find an organ of 1720, a pulpit, a font , copper analogies, the appearance of which dates back to the XVII-XVIII centuries.
- St. Anthony (Sint-Antoniuskerk), was built in 1450. The building of 1616 has survived to this day. At first it was a Catholic church intended for fishermen and boatmen.
- The Lutheran Church (Lutherse Kerk) appeared in 1768, replacing the underground Catholic church that appeared here in 1631. The facade of the new church was given elements of Baroque and Rococo.
- Heritage Day. 11: 00-17: 00. During the Open Monument Day weekend, the municipality of Hoorn participates on Saturday. During that day many monumental buildings are open to the public. Visitors can walk a route past a number of buildings and travel with a free bus service to the villages of Blokker and Zwaag.
Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / visit the Cheese Bazaar in Horn, which is open from mid-June to September from 12.30 to 16.30 / Tour with a hop-on-hop-off bus /
Go next : Volendam : an old fishing village in North Holland /Alkmaar : a city in the north of North Holland, in the tourist region of North Holland Peninsula. / Bolsward : a town in Friesland / town of Harlingen / Groningen : a lively student city in the Northern Netherlands / Beemster : in North-Holland.
