Alongside us flows the Naardertrekvaart a waterway that whispers tales of a bygone era. Let’s journey back to the 17th century. The Naardertrekvaart was then a bustling “highway” of the Dutch Golden Age.
Imagine Amsterdam in the 1600s. The city was rapidly expanding. It needed resources. One crucial resource was Goois zand or sand from the Gooi region. This sand was essential for construction and land reclamation. The Naardertrekvaart became the lifeline for transporting this valuable commodity.
The story of the Naardertrekvaart begins in 1640. Naarden and Muiden decided to build a canal to improve access to Naarden. Amsterdam joined the project. It shared the costs. The total cost was around 240000 gulden. In today’s money, that is a lot.
Digging began and incredibly took only six weeks. Think of the manual labor involved. No excavators just sheer human effort. The result was a canal stretching between Muiden and Naarden.
For two centuries, the Naardertrekvaart thrived. Trekschuiten or horse-drawn barges plied its waters. They transported goods and people. The Gooise zand flowed towards Amsterdam. The Naardertrekvaart was also vital for passengers. Post coaches used the towpath beside the canal to travel to Amersfoort and beyond.
Interestingly the Naardertrekvaart even played a role in funeral processions. Amsterdam’s Jewish community established a cemetery in Muiderberg in 1642. The deceased were transported by trekschuit to the Hakkelaarsbrug. From there, the funeral procession continued to the burial ground. The waterway to the cemetery became known as Jodenvaart or Jews’ canal.
By 1859, the Naardertrekvaart was at its peak. Four ships a day traveled between Naarden and Amsterdam. There was even a steamboat service for a time. But the arrival of the railway in 1874 and a tram line in 1881 marked the beginning of the end. The trekschuiten lost business. Services stopped.
In 1873 Amsterdam transferred its share in the Naardertrekvaart to Muiden and Bussum. Today, the Naardertrekvaart is a haven for recreational boating. Its maximum speed is 6 km/u. Vessels up to 12 meters long can navigate its waters. Five movable and four fixed bridges span the canal. The fixed bridges are high enough not to obstruct boats.
So as you stroll along the Naardertrekvaart consider its rich history. This seemingly quiet canal was once a vital artery. It fueled Amsterdam’s growth. It connected communities. It even carried the deceased to their final resting place. The Naardertrekvaart is a reminder that even the most peaceful waterways can have fascinating stories to tell.