Tijdschrift voor Historische Geografie - Volume 5, Issue 2, 2020

The town Kampen, at the mouth of the river IJssel (The Netherlands), seems to have originated in the 12th century ex nihilo. To explain this enigmatic start, many theories have been proposed. This article attributes its origin to a series of events, that started with the silting up of the Limjefjord after 1120 in the north of Jutland. This fjord was an important connection between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea for the small boats of the Frisian trade. The silting up of the fjord was a direct reason for the creation of the cog, a larger bulk carrier, that could circumnavigate Cape Skagen. Moreover, it could also take a shortcut over high seas to the mouth of the Vlie, and over the Almere to the mouth of the river IJssel. From there, the smaller Frisian ships used to sail over the IJssel to the German Rhine area, which was impossible for the seagoing cog. Therefore, the introduction of the cog prompted the foundation of a port for transshipment in the first half of the 12th century. This means Kampen did already exist as a settlement, when a storm surge in 1170 turned the Almere into the Zuiderzee and the settlement could take advantage of this environmental change.

Schiphol was designed for growth. Almost immediately after the opening of the renewed airport in 1967, a large-scale expansion started, which was already foreseen in the design. The designers looked closely at the latest developments in airport design and construction and uncompromisingly brought them together. The result was a flexible, modular and expandable building that could accommodate any possible future scenario. Schiphol was a well-oiled machine, where the peace and quiet of the traveller’s experience was the central focal point. Schiphol became a worldwide reference for airport architecture. Commissioned by Schiphol Real Estate, Steenhuis- Meurs carried out a cultural-historical study of this construction phase. The aim was to gain insight into the identity and spatial quality of the 1960s Schiphol Airport and to provide tools for the further development of the airport. The results of the research were published in 2019 in the book Schiphol. Groundbreaking Airport Design 1967-1975.

The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal defence and bunkers built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944. In the Netherlands, two so-called Festungen were built to protect the harbours which were of great interest for the German occupiers. This map shows the Festung IJmuiden, built around the locks and harbours. The steelworks at the north side were also protected by this fortification. Besides different types of bunkers it also consisted of anti-tank ditches, antitank walls, dunes, minefields and hospitals. After the Second World War the traces of Nazi Germany were partly removed, also in this part of the Atlantic Wall. But many elements have remained and are more and more appreciated as cultural heritage.

Duinrel is the local term for a small stream in the coastal dunes of Holland, particularly in the Kennemerland region. A duinrel flows from the dune into the lower area inland. This clear water has been used by people for different purposes: making paper, bleaching linen, brewing beer etc. They were also used by the many gardens and estates as well as by market gardeners. In the southern part of Holland, many duinrellen have been adapted and were changed into straight channels (Dutch: wateringen). For their management it is necessary to see them as partly natural, partly cultural landscape features.