Woudrichem, you must see it!
Don't want to miss a thing? Follow the route of our city walk.
This route is also available in the leaflet Woudrichem Stroomt, available at the tourist information points, or downloadable here.
Don't want to miss a thing? Follow the route of our city walk.
This route is also available in the leaflet Woudrichem Stroomt, available at the tourist information points, or downloadable here.
The city walk begins at the VVV brochure post, Church Street 7.
1 From the intersection you will see the Prison Gate. Walk under it toward the river.
The Gevangenpoort is one of five remaining gates from the 15th century. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the building was used as an arresting room. Some prisoners have their names carved inside the wall as mementos.
2 The water gate still serves during high water. Beams are then pushed into the concrete recesses and the space between them is filled with sand. This cofferdam holds back the raging water and protects the fortified town.
3 On d'n Bol (or in dialect 't Hôôd) you can see at a glance three rivers: Maas, Waal and Merwede and three provinces: North Brabant, Gelderland and South Holland.
4 There is often activity in the Historic Harbor. Ships are refurbished and launched there. The large barges are occupied.
5 On the city wall stands the former barracks of the Royal Military Police, the middle section of which was used as a police station until the end of the 20th century. The most famous policeman in Woudrichem was called Pietje Potlood. Not surprisingly, he liked to write out tickets.
6 Ice was stored in the ice cellar (near house number 20) until the early years of the last century. When it froze heavily, blocks of ice were cut from the city canal and brought here. Fishmongers used the ice to keep the freshly caught fish cool The walls of the ice cellar were as much as a meter thick, which kept the temperature constantly low. The ice could be used until summer.
7 House number 2, the Jacoba of Bavaria House, is the oldest stone house in the fortified town. Jacoba of Bavaria was countess of Holland, Zealand and Hainaut. In this house, a peace treaty was signed in 1419 and Jacoba reconciled with her uncle John of Bavaria. The property is also called the convent. Franciscan nuns lived here from 1965 to 1985.
To the left around the corner you can see the chapel built behind the house. Since 2019, the house bears the title Jacoba Culture House and hosts music classes, lectures and concerts.
8 The thirty-four-meter-high Martinus Tower was built in the first half of the 15th century. The upper two girders date from around 1530. The tower bears the nickname The Mustard Pot. Once there was a mustard factory in the fortified town. Windblown seeds took root on top of the tower, giving it its name. This fun fact does not compare to the following terrible story. At the end of World War II, the tower was full of gunpowder. The occupying forces wanted to blow up the tower. Fortunately, this did not happen at the last minute.
A remarkable fact is also the time indicated on the tower. For a number of years -during WW2- it was national time. Woudrichem time was then the time everyone had to assume.
9 The arsenal, built in 1851, houses the Fisheries and Cultural History Museum. Previously, it was used to store military equipment. Just in front of the arsenal are the statue of Jan Claessen the trumpeter from Prince Maurice's army (1585-1625) and a cannon from 1818. The fortified town has had an important military function over the centuries. It was part of the Old and New Dutch Water Line. Its role as a military stronghold and the function it fulfilled in this was abolished by royal decree on May 27, 1955. In 1972, the entire fortified town was designated a protected cityscape.
10 The white house between the arsenal and city gate The Koepoort was built in 1856 as a military guardhouse for soldiers and officers. After the city gate closed, pedestrians paid 2 1/2 cents to enter the gate. If you wanted to enter by horse or horse and carriage, the fees went up quickly. The guardhouse also served as a nursing home for cholera sufferers. And... it seems to have been haunted ever since....
11 Korenmolen Nooit Gedagt was blown up in WW2. Where the tower was spared, the mill suffered. The occupying forces feared the tall mill was being used as a lookout post. In 1996, the rebuilt mill was put into operation.
It is a unique specimen, as the corn mill is the Netherlands' only octagonal stone scaffold mill. The mill sells products that the miller grinds himself as well as other regional products that you must have tasted. And let's face it... The best pancake flour is of course bought here!
12 The two gunpowder cellars from around 1850 were used as ammunition storage areas during wartime threats. They were restored in 2007. These powder cellars are also part of the heritage of the Old and New Dutch Waterline.
13 The Roman Catholic church is a waterfront church built in 1838.
In the niche of the facade is a statue of the Czech John Nepomuk (1350-1393), patron saint of bridges. Nepomuk had taken confession from King Wenceslaus' wife. When the king asked him what his wife had told him, Nepomuk was silent. Wenceslaus had him thrown from the bridge into the Moldau with a stone around his neck. Nepomuk died a martyr.
14 The barracks, built in 1854, was the accommodation building for soldiers and their equipment. It served as such until WW2. Here in Woudrichem, conscription was known long before it was instituted nationwide. Since 1747, a civilian company operated here in which able-bodied men between the ages of eighteen and sixty had to serve.
15 The century-old foot ferry is best known for its slogan "Heen motte betaole en weer weer. A trip to Loevestein Castle is easily made from here. The skipper sails whenever you are ready and you can take your bicycle on the ferry. If you want to return, ring the ship's bell on the Gelderland side of the river and the skipper will pick you up again.
16 From this point the salmon fisherman looks out over the water. The kierbesluit should ensure that salmon from the North Sea have access to the rivers again via the Haringvliet. Perhaps in the future salmon fishing in Woudrichem can flourish again. The salmon fisherman is keeping an eye on things.
17 To the left of the building with house number 46 you can see the De Wittspoortje, also called the Annopoortje. The year gives away that it was built in 1611. Just imagine. For more than 400 years this little gate has followed the fortunes of Woudrichem. If stones could talk... The gate owes its name to council pensionary Johan de Witt. He was the grandfather of Mayor Johan de Witt who married and held office here in 1611.
18 't Oude Raedthuys (1592) was the seat of the city government. To its left are three little jails that were still in use until the last century. They are the darkest, coldest and clammiest caverns in the city. Imagine spending a night in them.
19 High Street is the oldest street in the fortified town. A settlement arose here around 900 on the high bank along the river. That settlement slowly grew into a military stronghold: fortified town of Woudrichem! Several houses from the late Middle Ages have been preserved. They are decorated with illustrative gable stones as can be seen at In Den Vergulden Helm and De Salamander.