Sunset on the Zaanse Schans by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Sunset on the Zaanse Schans"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

The Zaanse Schans is a historic Zaanse neighbourhood in the municipality of Zaanstad established in 1963, with national monumental wooden buildings and industrial mills from the Zaan region relocated there.

Over time, it has been supplemented by several cultural-historical museums, craft shops and restaurants. It is located in the Kalverpolder, a protected peat meadow landscape on the Zaan, opposite the village of Zaandijk. This architectural reserve for Zaanse timber construction is a protected village sight because of its architectural-historical and scenic value. It developed into an international tourist destination with several million visitors every year.

From 1963, many old wooden buildings from the Zaan region were transported by low-loaders to the Zaanse Schans expansion plan and restored to their former glory. Moving by low-loader was preferred in order to preserve the wooden authenticity of a building as much as possible. However, concrete was chosen as the foundation instead of traditional wooden posts with caulking.

Initially set up as a residential area, the neighbourhood attracted more and more tourists, for which it was not designed. Between 1970 and 1974, the plan accordingly expanded to include historical buildings and several replicas suitable for catering and tourism. An additional car park was also constructed on the spot where a school was initially to be built. From 1976, Zaanse Schans as a tourist destination was a reality. Some mills were also relocated. Only the substructure of the paint mill de Kat (originally an oil mill) and of the oil mill de Bonte Hen, as well as the oil mill de Os, still stand in their original yards. Later buildings were also regularly moved to the Zaanse Schans.

In 1982, Gortershoek was designated a protected village sight, the Zaanse Schans followed in 2010. Today, Zaanse Schans attracts foreign tourists from Amsterdam, and in spring combined visits with Keukenhof.