Misty evening in the village of the Zaanse Schans

Jeroen de Jongh about Misty evening in the village of the Zaanse Schans

The Zaanse Schans is a historic Zaanse neighborhood in the municipality of Zaanstad established in 1963 with national monument wooden buildings and industrial mills from the Zaan region relocated there. In the course of time it has been supplemented with various cultural-historical museums, craft stores and restaurants. It lies in the Kalverpolder, a protected peat meadow landscape on the Zaan, opposite the village of Zaandijk. This architectural reserve for Zaanse timber construction is a protected village sight because of its architectural-historical and scenic value. It developed into an international tourist destination with several million visitors annually.

From 1963, many old wooden buildings from the Zaanstreek were transported by flatbed trucks to the Zaanse Schans expansion plan and restored to their former glory. Relocation by flatbed trailer was preferred in order to preserve as much as possible the wooden authenticity of a building. However, concrete was chosen as the foundation instead of traditional wooden posts with cesps. Long registration lists were created for the occupation of the neighbourhood. By 1970, fifteen houses had been rebuilt.

Initially set up as a residential area, the neighborhood attracted an increasing number of tourists for whom it was not designed. Colonial Williamsburg was looked at as a tourist living neighborhood. Between 1970 and 1974 the plan was expanded to include historic buildings (restaurant 'De Kraai', warehouse 'De Lelie'