Municipality of Noordwijkerhout
The Municipality of Noordwijkerhout is in the ‘Heart of the Tulip Fields’. It is a beautiful county district where you can still find the peace and beauty of Nature in the middle of the industrious West of Holland.
The 15,000 inhabitants of the Municipality live in Noordwijkerhout and De Zilk, two villages with year-round festivals and activities, which the association of undertakings organizes with many volunteers.
History
Agriculture and livestock farming were important means of livelihood throughout the centuries. There were only 30 or 40 houses around the White Church and about 80 houses throughout the whole Municipality for many years. This all changed in the second half of the 19th century, when a start was made on digging up the inland dunes. The rolling grasslands made way for the stretched-out tulip fields, which gave the landscape a very multi-coloured sight that is still found today.
Things to see
Noordwijkerhout Town Hall is a listed building.. It was built in 1930, following the design of a Wassenaar architect called Mr. Kropholler. The Town Hall was expanded in the same style in 1956, and when a second expansion became necessary in 1982, a location for the library was also created.
There are many other monuments you can admire in the Municipality: the White Church in the centre of Noordwijkerhout, the main building of the former St. Bavo psychiatric institute, the Noordwijkerhout churches of St. Victor and St. Joseph and the Sacred Heart Church in De Zilk. The building known as De Vonk (the spark) is also in Noordwijkerhout. It was designed by architect Theo van Doesburg. The Municipality has six more state monuments and several dozen other monumental buildings in and around the town centre.
Objects of Art have been placed at several places in the Municipality. In particular the three statues by the artistic couple Frans and Truus van der Veld can be admired. The most important source of inspiration is the love for cultivating flowers, which the Municipality of Noordwijkerhout is deservedly famous for.
Recreation and culture
Noordwijkerhout, the ‘Heart of the Tulip Fields’, is a pleasant town to live and work in. Woods, dunes, the sea and beaches are within cycling distance from the village centres of Noordwijkerhout and De Zilk. The national airport (Schiphol) and the cities Amsterdam, Leiden, Haarlem and The Hague are all within a 35 kilometres range. The brightly coloured flower fields attract millions of tourists between mid-March and mid-May every year.
The camp sites, bungalow parks and hotels offer a pleasant place to stay from which you can enjoy the surroundings. If you want to cool down on a hot summer’s day, you can go to the Oosterduinse Lake to find outstanding surfing and recreational facilities.
What is there to do?
Noordwijkerhout and De Zilk have every imaginable sport and recreational facility: cycling between the bulb fields, strolling through the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes at De Zilk, horseback riding, tennis, bowling, surfing on the Oosterduinse Lake and swimming in De Schelft indoor swimming pool. There are two large playgrounds for children, De Speelakker in Noordwijkerhout and De Duinrand in De Zilk. You can also have a delicious meal in one of the many restaurants, with food varying from Indonesian to the typically Dutch cuisine.
Both villages have an extensive activities and events calendar. Annual events include the carnival, with big parades, the flower pageant, the flower mosaics in De Zilk, various markets and fairs in Noordwijkerhout. The different sports clubs also regularly organise activities.
Shopping
The centre of Noordwijkerhout has several supermarkets, a post office, various banks, lively outdoor cafés, restaurants and fine shops for clothes, shoes and souvenirs. A market is also held every Monday afternoon.
Information
For events and tourist information, visit the website of the Tourist Information Agency, Dorpsstraat 10, Noordwijkerhout, tel. +31 (0)252 372096, fax +31 (0)252 342985.
The police in Noordwijkerhout
In a holidayresort like Noordwijkerhout crime exists just like in any other place, sadly enough. If you have fallen victim to e.g. theft or vandalism, please report this to the local police in Noordwijkerhout, adress Herenweg 4 (monday till friday, 09.00 — 13.00 h.), When closed: Police Noordwijk, adress Duinwetering 101. Telephonenumber 0900-8844.