Schokland (Unesco 739)
Posted by: team_wolfje
N 52° 38.190 E 005° 46.180
31U E 687411 N 5835436
Schokland: an island in the Zuiderzee, The Netherlands.
Waymark Code: WM38X
Location: Flevoland, Netherlands
Date Posted: 11/01/2005
Views: 74
Schokland is a special place: as a symbol of the struggle against the sea, it stands for the history and culture of the Netherlands. For centuries, Schokland was a densely populated island in the Zuiderzee. But the sea level kept rising and Schokland became smaller and smaller. By the early 19th century the situation had become intolerable, but the Schoklanders refused to give in. In 1859, after repeated flood disasters, the last villages were finally evacuated by royal degree.
The island was abandoned to the elements and the Schokland culture came to an end. In 1942 a large part of the former Zuiderzee was reclaimed, wich meant that Schokalnd ceased being an island and could be reached from all sides via the former sea floor.
In 1947 the Schokland Museum was opened in a restored church on Middelbuurt, one of the old mound dwellings. The exhibitions in the museum bring the curious history of the Noordoostpolder to life. They emphasize the traces of prehistoric and medieval habitation that existed here, the last civilization of Schokland, the history of the Zuiderzee sea trade and naturally the story of land reclamation, the last step in the battle against the sea.
Schokland is so special that it was the first monument in the Netherlands to be included on the Unesco World Heritage List, joining such structures as the Reims cathedral, the tower of Pisa end the pyramids of Giza. According to Unesco, the island ‘island’ in the polder is a place ‘of exceptional universal value’. There’s no better recommendation than that. Schokland is a must for all who want to learn about the Netherlands.
Find out more on the Schokland website.