Wasn’t De Braak once a marshy wasteland? Imagine that. Before you stands De Braak a heempark in Amstelveen a testament to transformation. This park wasn’t always a haven of native Dutch flora. It began its life in the late 1930s. A time when unemployment was high. This park became a work project for many jobless people. It was built around a remnant of the Karnemelksegat a water feature. That water feature itself was a result of a sixteenth-century breach of the Nieuwe Meer. This swampy area was far from ideal. The soil was wet poor and acidic. But Chris P. Broerse had a vision. He along with inspiration from Jac. P. Thijsse decided to use native plants. The park was designed to handle these tough conditions.
De Braak wasn’t finished overnight. It was expanded in 1941 by almost four hectares. Connections were made with surrounding waterways. This was done to better manage the water levels. The park eventually grew to include a beautiful water feature. This large pond forms the heart of De Braak and provides a stunning view. In 1957 Broerse added an eight-hectare heempark. This was near the Van Leer Vatenfabriek headquarters. The park today boasts several entrances. There’s a banpaal a historical boundary marker. De Braak and its neighboring Thijssepark became national monuments in 2011. They represent Amstelveen’s unique heempark tradition. De Braak is more than a park. It’s a landscape of resilience ingenuity and natural beauty. A place where history and nature meet in perfect harmony.