Top 10 Historic Sites in The Netherlands, The Netherlands

October 28, 2021 Frederic Celentano

– in Europe  (green & dark grey) – in the European Union  (green)
Restaurants in The Netherlands

1. Anne Frank House

Prinsengracht 263 - 267 museum entrance Westermarkt 20, 1016 DK Amsterdam The Netherlands +31 20 556 7105 [email protected] http://www.annefrank.org
Excellent
68%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 62,301 reviews

Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House (Dutch: Anne Frank Huis) is a museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. The building is located on a canal called the Prinsengracht, close to the Westerkerk, in central Amsterdam in the Netherlands. As a visitor, you experience this story through a audio tour, quotes, photos, videos, and original items. The Anne Frank House can only be visited with an online ticket for a specific date and time.

Reviewed By Skiforever1223 - Salt Lake City, United States

This is a very special museum for many reasons but I was pleasantly surprised by how beautifully the museum created the narrative and the spaces they created. My two teenage daughters and I will never forget this experience. I loved the amazing artwork at the end portraying scenes recreated from the hiding place and also recommend taking time to watch the touching tributes video at the end where you hear visitors’ experiences and guest book comments from Nelson Mandela, Steven Spielberg and more. Read or re-read Anne Frank’s diary prior to visiting to really feel the spirit of this young reminder of so many tragically lost. You do have to reserve tickets online. Per the website: 80% of tickets are released exactly two months in advance at 12:00* hours noon, 20% on the day itself. Every day at 9:00* hours, the tickets for the day are made available on this site. (*Amsterdam time). The museum recommends this for children 10 and older. I would recommend 11 yrs. for a well-prepared child. It is a quiet, sober tour and there is one brief concentration camp scene that is graphic. Bag check and audio guides included with your ticket and there is a cafe and shop for after your tour. No photography. You line up outside at your assigned time slot until it’s time for your group to go in and it’s best to take a picture of your ticket rather than try to pull it up in your email because connectivity is spotty. The actual house/store is encased and preserved by the museum surround on Prinsengracht street. We booked an evening visit which also added to the poignancy as you leave the museum and see the canals lit by street lights. Highly recommend.

2. Madurodam

George Maduroplein 1, 2584 RZ, The Hague The Netherlands +31 70 416 2400 [email protected] http://www.madurodam.nl
Excellent
49%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
12%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 3,793 reviews

Madurodam

Discover Holland's highlights and heritage in this world famous miniature and Holland theme park. You will discover Holland’s most iconic landmarks and history through a story of magnificent miniatures and indoor attractions. The stunning park filled with flowers is a beauty for the eye and shows 338 miniatures. From little Amsterdam to Dutch national architecture built on a scale of 1:25 with miniature trains, boats and cars moving around. Madurodam will make you discover Holland's rich history with remarkable stories like the Dutch ability to transform water into land. And did you know New York was Dutch in former days? Come find out in our attraction Nieuw-Amsterdam! Madurodam is very family friendly with two large playgrounds and plenty of fun interactive installations. You will get the full Holland experience in one place and many Instagram worthy picture possibilities. Visit us! We are open 365 days a year and offer information in 11 languages. See you soon in Madurodam.

Reviewed By pearce71592

I thought this was an interesting way to see some of the places that are in Netherlands before going to see them in person. Great for kids to visit. The displays are very high quality. some with moving parts. We bought the 3D photo miniature of us, the statue is exact. A neat souvenir to have from Netherland.

3. Museum Het Rembrandthuis (Rembrandt House)

Jodenbreestraat 4, 1011 NK Amsterdam The Netherlands +31 20 520 0400 [email protected] http://www.rembrandthuis.nl/index.php?lang=en
Excellent
53%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 6,800 reviews

Museum Het Rembrandthuis (Rembrandt House)

Rembrandt lived and worked from 1639 to 1658 in this 17th-century house, which today is a museum that pays tribute to the artist's life and career.

Reviewed By Fitz48 - Aurora, United States

We visited the Rembrandt House in late April and got in for free with the I Amsterdam card. There were no lines and the museum was not crowded. They have excellent free audio tours in multiple languages including English, Dutch, German, Italian, French, Spanish and Russian. We noted that they also had a children's audio tour in English in Dutch; however, I think most but not all children would find this museum to be boring. Since Rembrandt both lived here, ran and art school and worked here for 20 years and because of the inventory that was conducted when he went bankrupt is still in existence, the curators have been able to accurately refurbish the home with objects of the period. For those with mobility issues or claustrophobia, it is important to understand that the spiral staircases are steep and narrow. While there were many interesting exhibits in the museum, three stood out for me as especially interesting. First was the entrance where a chair was kept on an elevated platform for people watching on the street. Second, the beds, especially the maid's box bed in the kitchen clearly shows that the occupants slept sitting up (for their health). Finally, the highlight of the museum was the 20-30 explanation and demonstration as to how artists made their paints during the age of Rembrandt. This helps you see the paintings in the Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, Hermitage and other museums that you will see in the Netherlands.

4. St. Bavo's Cathedral (Sint-Baafskathedraal)

Sint-Baafsplein Casco Historico de la Ciudad, Ghent 9000 Belgium +32 9 225 16 26 http://www.sintbaafskathedraal.be/
Excellent
60%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 3,171 reviews

St. Bavo's Cathedral (Sint-Baafskathedraal)

Reviewed By john_tabac - Southampton, United Kingdom

St Bavo’s Cathedral was a 12th century Romanesque church which dedicated to St John the Baptist. During the 15th and 16th centuries, was converted into the imposing Gothic St Bavo’s Cathedral. It has a rich history and it is also filled with art treasures. From the baroque high altar in white, black and red flamed marble, the Rococo pulpit in oak, gilded wood and marble, a masterpiece by Rubens, the Calvary Triptych by Justus van Gent, the Gothic sanctuary lamp, the opulent tombs of the Bishops of Ghent – and the world-famous Mystic Lamb. St Bavo’s Cathedral is still used for worship and although it has a sign that cameras are not allowed inside, everybody take pictures and security staff didn't say anything. Only in Mystic Lamb they don't allow pictures.

5. Graslei and Korenlei

Graslei en Korenleih, Ghent Belgium
Excellent
69%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,358 reviews

Graslei and Korenlei

Reviewed By N3899ACrolandb - Ferndown, United Kingdom

Just a short stroll from central St.Michaels Bridge along each side of the quay,the range of picturesque and architectural styles are most pleasing to the eye;take along with you a descriptive guidebook,( available from the Tourist Office),and you will find interesting details of the purpose and history of the various buildings (alternatively,take the half hour informative boat trip there- currently a modest €7!)

6. Sint-Bavokerk (Church of St. Bavo)

Grote Markt 22, 2011 RD Haarlem The Netherlands +31 23 553 2040 http://www.bavo.nl
Excellent
54%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,085 reviews

Sint-Bavokerk (Church of St. Bavo)

Reviewed By Buddy_from_Oz - Greater Adelaide, Australia

If you're in Haarlem, don't miss a visit to St Bavokerk. Stunning architecture, fascinating history and a visually impressive organ played by both Mozart and Handel - and, surprisingly, mentioned in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. This was also the local church of Corrie ten Boom who, with her family, secretly helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust. The ten Boom museum is a few minutes walk away.

7. Dom Tower

Domplein 21, 3512 JE Utrecht The Netherlands +31 30 236 0010 [email protected] https://www.domtoren.nl/nl
Excellent
50%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,983 reviews

Dom Tower

When you visit Utrecht you will notice the Domtoren almost immediately. The 14th century tower is the heart of the old city centre. At 112 metres, it remains the highest church tower in the Netherlands. The Domtoren is open all year round, and the view of Utrecht is worth seeing in every season. The tower can only be visited as part of a guided tour, during which our expert guides will take you on a historical journey. The tour starts in the Tourist Information Centre on Dom Square and takes about an hour. The Domtoren is in need of extensive restoration work on the exterior and the restoration will take about 5 years (2019-2024) The Domtoren is open for visitors as normal. No work will be done on the inside of the tower so you can visit the chapels and belfry. When you come outside on the galleries at 70 meters and 95 meters you will see some scaffolding but the view is unchanged and as impressive as always. And you get the unique opportunity to see the work up close!

Reviewed By AmirFDM - Nahariya, Israel

A church tower at an altitude of over 100 meters in the center of Utrecht. The tower was adjacent to the church, but today it is separated by a small square. You can take a guided tour of the tower, climb about 480 steps and visit the different floors of the tower. From the top terrace there is a spectacular view of the city of Utrecht. The tour starts at the nearby tourist office. Reservations are recommended.

8. Sint-Janskerk

Achter de Kerk 2, 2801 JW Gouda The Netherlands +31 6 48381257 [email protected] http://www.sintjan.com/
Excellent
57%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 528 reviews

Sint-Janskerk

THE LONGEST CHURCH OF THE NETHERLANDS The great fire of 1552 destroyed much of the medieval church of Saint John. Shortly after the disaster, the council commissioned the reconstruction of the most startling church of Holland. With 123 meters it is also the longest church in The Netherlands THE 72 STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS ARE WORLD-FAMOUS Entering the Church of St. John, one falls silent at the sight of the majestic space with the 72 world-famous stained-glass windows. That first experience will only get stronger when you see the marvellous light by the 'Dutch Masters' invading the Church. The rich history of Holland can be read in the large windows. It is a beginning of an impressive discovery along biblical and historical scenes of human emotions. Then you understand that the Gouda St. John is one of the highest rated attractions in the Netherlands!

Reviewed By exploringwithjune - The Netherlands, null

After visiting the museum we stopped by the church. As we'd already learned so much at the museum, we just wanted to pop in for half an hour. Therefore we didn't take an audio tour, which is included in the price, and instead walked around by ourselves. We received a leaflet with some information, which highlighted a couple of the gorgeous stained glass windows. We struggled finding the right numbers to go with the texts at times, but overall it was a lovely way to see the church and to learn something while wandering around. The architecture is really impressive and the windows are pure art. Some windows that interested us weren't included in the leaflet, but it is logical that choices had to be made. If we hadn't gone to the museum, we would've probably also gotten the audio tour as I can imagine that it's way more complete. The church also has a little gift shop with a good variety of products . We entered for free as we both have a museumkaart. Regular prices are 9 euros for adults, 5,25 for kids aged 13-17 and kids under 13 can visit for free. I definitely think this is really pricey for a church. If you visit with a family and, just like us, want to walk around for a short while, it will set you back 30 euros for a relatively quick visit. I can imagine that that can be a lot of money for some families. Also, I think it is really important for kids to see churches like these and learn about the history and architecture, so it should be made more accessible. With commissioning these prices; I think they put off people from visiting. Also, many other impressive churches in our country are free. If I hadn't had my museumkaart, I would probably not have gone in. Concluding, it was a lovely visit but I do wish that they would reconsider their prices.

9. Muurhuizen

Stadswal, Amersfoort The Netherlands +31 33 472 2236 http://www.amersfoortsegidsen.nl
Excellent
53%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 290 reviews

Muurhuizen

Reviewed By claret421

This circular street has a fascinating history and truly beautiful architecture, it is like taking a trip back in time. It encapsulates the quirkiness and class of Amersfoort.

10. World Heritage Kinderdijk

Nederwaard 1, 2961 AS Kinderdijk The Netherlands +31 78 691 2830 [email protected] http://www.kinderdijk.com/
Excellent
67%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,973 reviews

World Heritage Kinderdijk

The Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage site is a unique icon of seven centuries of Dutch water management. All phases of the history of our struggle against water are still visible here. The unique collection of 19 mills in an authentic Dutch landscape is a true eye catcher. With your ticket you'll have access to all visiting locations and tour boats for four hours. The Nederwaard Museum Mill shows how families lived and worked in our mills around 1900. At the Blokweer Museum Mill, you’ll experience what life was like in the fifties of last century. In the Overwaard Museum Mill and the adjacent education barn everything revolves around technology. Watch our multi-screen film in Secondary pumping station 'De Fabriek' and visit the historic Wisboom pumping station from 1868. Get on board of our tour boats and enjoy Kinderdijk from the water. Feel the wind, smell the water and listen to the sound of the windmills. The Kinderdijk World Heritage site is open almost the entire year!

Reviewed By 607jayb - Fairhope, United States

If you are anywhere near to this area, this is simply a MUST DO! This UNESCO site is one of the most interesting and fun sites we have seen. There are several working windmills, and with a guided tour, you will learn more than you can imagine about the amazing water management history of the Dutch, and the critical role windmill technology plays in that history. You will explore the cramped, yet efficient, interior of a working windmill and see how "millers" ply their trade and live in those windmills. The grounds, like most of The Netherlands, are very green and gorgeous. They have two souvenir shops (I prefer the one in the brick building closest to the entrance) and a snack bar. Take your time and ENJOY!

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