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HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS

The history of the Netherlands is unique. Because more than anywhere else in the world, it's the people who made the land. And in these parts, you can take that very literally.
A never-ending story of human ingenuity and blunders, of triumph and disaster. The achievements of those countless generations before us can still be seen all around here. To be discovered, if you know where to look.
It's on that fascinating journey I'd like to invite you. See Explore. History of the Netherlands or History of Holland ?
Holland is originally one of the states that formed the Netherlands. But for the last 400 years, it was the dominant one. Leading to the misconception that Holland = the Netherlands.
However, different parts of the Netherlands have a distinctly different history. The menu on the left opens brief outlines of historical periods in chronological order. Just for the overview.
Each period starts with a brief general outline.
When there's excellent external material in English available, I mention links to articles elsewhere. No use doing a double job. In "Regional", I focus on what can be seen of this long history in the relative rural area just southeast of Amsterdam. That's were I live. Easy to reach, only 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam Central Station.
In fact, this countryside in all its variation is a perfect illustration of how man created and used this land over time. To give you an an idea, see countryside images, and fortified towns. By leafing through "regional" on the left in the order listed there, you will embark on a voyage through time as well. In "Resources", you will find more detailed information on some locations and objects related to Dutch history. Although additional content is regularly added, this website will by no means pretend to be complete, nor balanced. New pages come with what I encounter, from what I'm working on, also depending on the time I have available.
Suggestions welcome, by the way. Can be the start of a another new page. Map of Netherlands 1617 to top of pageto top of page
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