Giethoorn: the amazing Dutch village where there are no roads

Today we offer you to go in a little Dutch village of Giethoorn. Differently it is often called the Dutch Venice, as it is located on the water canals with a total length of about 7.5 km away. the Village was founded in 1230. For getting around the village there is a bike path, and numerous canals.

The main means of transportation are rowing boats and boats with electric motors that are completely silent and does not disturb the peace and tranquility of this picturesque village.

In the main house are located on Islands and connected by wooden bridges (across the village more than 50 pieces).

Giethoorn is so attractive to tourists because there is almost no ordinary roads and trails, and too often, the various canals and bridges.

The village has gained wide popularity among tourists in the 60 years after the Dutch filmmaker Bert Haanstra showed it in his film.

Soon after, numerous visitors affectionately called the village "Dutch Venice" or "Venice of the North". In the old town of Giethoorn you even with a great desire will not see any roads, you can only move through the channels and only on special boats or "punts", as locals call them. The only novelty that appeared over the years, is a bike path.

Along the canals are home, one prettier than the other. Along one side of the channel is a narrow paved path, sometimes moving from one coast to the other. This is the only thing you can move on foot. Any of the streets in the usual sense of the word. The houses standing on the side of the channel that do not have tracks, wooden bridges thrown, quite hooked. Such bridges allow to pass under them to electroboom, the biggest boats in Giethoorn. In General, move through the channels on anything — all kinds of boats (they can be hired), inflatable boats, small boats. All the motors, no diesel.

The village of Giethoorn was founded in 1230 by a small group of refugees from the South of the country. When they found this place, the only thing they caught my eye is the huge amount of goat horns that are left after a heavy flood. In this lies the secret of the name of the village — Goat horns, or "goat horn".

Over time, people have not only changed the name of the village on a more harmonious, but found that there is a lot of peat. Joyful discovery, people began to dig up the turf in those places where it was most convenient. As a result of excavation pits appeared, later they became lakes, and then a chain of channels, which now attracts tourists like a magnet.

Length Giethoorn (Dutch say "Gforn" sometimes found in guidebooks), about 6 km away. so 6 km in one direction and 6 km in the back we passed by this beauty. Note that this is a residential village, not the attraction, known as the Zaanse Schans. Money to pay for it is not necessary, unless you decide to rent a boat or take a ride on elektroboote. Parking in many different places, we stood on the South and went through the village from South to North and back. Parking, of course, free.

The village itself is home to 2620 people. However, the indigenous people believe that the main distinctive feature of their village is not the channels and the unique atmosphere of peace and comfort for complete relaxation. Everything here breathes quiet and slow pillars of the typical Dutch villages of the XVIII century. Almost all of the farm has remained intact and imbued with the spirit of the time.

Almost all the houses in the village with thatched roof and swampy areas provide a large number of cane. Previously, only rich people could afford tiled roof and a used straw, now the opposite is true, thatched roof more expensive.

Giethoorn is a fishing place, but in order to do this hunt necessarily need a license. Here you can easily see the Heron, which is very brave can look at you, begging to take her to fish. Along the canals hang different signs similar to those that can be seen on the roads of any metropolis, with traffic lights and right-hand traffic.

Giethoorn is worthy of admiration and adoration. Of course, this village has no glory and scope of Venice, but it has a unique charm and natural landscapes of unimaginable beauty.