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Edam,
the City
The
most obvious association with the name Edam is its cheese. For centuries the well-known round
Edam
cheeses have been sent from Edam to all corners of
the world.
The
cheese market, once again restored to its place of honor,
is enacted weekly during the summer months. Nearby
cheese warehouses keep alive the memory of a colourful
past.
Edam
is a city with a rich history. It began in the 12th
century, when fishermen and farmers settled along the
little Ye river. With that Yedam was a fact. This
primitive settlement developed into an increasingly
prosperous town well into the 17th century. Shipbuilding
played an important role in this growth.. Once
Edam
had 33 ship-yards building many famous ships. A good
example is the Halve Maan, the ship that the
Englishman Henry
Hudson
sailed in 1609 when attempting to discover
a
northern route |
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to the
East Indies
. A futile attempt in fact, because he ended up on the
island
of
Manhattan
!
Beside
shipbuilding, commerce was a major contributor to the
thriving development of |
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Edam
. Together with
Amsterdam
,
Hoorn
and Enkhuizen,
Edam
was one of the most important commercial towns in
Holland. Today Edam
is a town with authentic 17th century architecture,
convincing proof of its rich past. When walking along
the old streets and quiet canals, one can easily
imagine how it was in a Dutch town centuries ago. Well
preserved gables, squares, bridges and monuments
capture and hold the attention of the visitor. A
stroll takes one past the tea-houses on the Schepenmakersdijk,
the leaning Carillon tower (1561), the historic museum
with the floating cellar, the Dam, the
Town hall
of
Edam
to the Great
Church. This is one of the largest churches in the
Netherlands. It has an extraordinary collection of richly
coloured stained glass windows dating from the 17th
century.
Edam
has more: cosy shopping streets and nice terraces
where one can enjoy a drink or a snack. There is the Strandbad camping on the edge of the IJsselmeer,
countless watersport fans from far and near have found
their way to this camping site and public swimming
area, just outside the centre of Edam. We could easily
continue summing up the attractions
Edam
has to offer, but prefer to invite you personally to
come to
Edam
and discover for yourself the quiet and beauty of this
little
IJsselmeer
town.
Everything
about Edam, the Cheese and the City can be found at: www.edam.com
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