Must-see attractions in Overijssel

  • Museum de Waag

    Overijssel

    At home in one of the country's oldest weighing houses (1528), this evocative museum in the middle of the Brink explores local history. During Deventer's…

  • Onze Lieve Vrouwe Basiliek

    Overijssel

    People from Zwolle say they know they're home when they see the iconic Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (also known as the Peperbus, or Peppermill), a huge basilica…

  • Nieuwe Toren

    Overijssel

    This landmark tower, built purely as a show of wealth in the 17th century, stands tall (albeit it with an incredible lean) on main street Oudestraat. Its…

  • Museum De Fundatie

    Overijssel

    Housed in a neoclassical courthouse by the canal, Zwolle's acclaimed art museum stages large-scale temporary exhibits by contemporary figures. The small…

  • Grote of Lebuïnuskerk

    Overijssel

    The city's main church is named after the English cleric who founded it in 738; the present Gothic structure dates from the late 15th century. Its many…

  • Lutterzand

    Overijssel

    In Twente's far eastern realm, snug on the German border, spectacular sand drifts rise up along the banks of the Dinkel River to meet aromatic juniper…

  • Grolsch Brewery

    Overijssel

    One of the world's most famous beers, easily recognisable by its iconic swing-top Pilsner bottle, has been brewed in Enschede since 1895. Guided tours…

  • De Museumfabriek

    Overijssel

    Designed to pique and inspire curious minds of all ages, this unusual gallery mixes history-related exhibits with applied arts, local traditional crafts,…

  • Rijksmuseum Twenthe

    Overijssel

    Only a fraction of the 9000-piece art collection of Twente's fine arts museum is exhibited at any one time at this attractive villa, arranged in two wings…

  • Sassenpoort

    Overijssel

    The 15th-century Sassenpoort, built in 1409 at the southern end of Sassenstraat, is one of the remaining town gates and must surely be one of the country…

  • Monument vuurwerkramp Enschede

    Overijssel

    This unusual monument in a grassy park in front of De Museumfabriek remembers the 23 people who died and thousands injured following a fatal explosion in…

  • Kamper Kogge

    Overijssel

    Nicknamed the Black Lady of Kampen, the Kampe Kogge is an impressive reconstruction (using medieval materials and techniques) of a 14th-century cog – a…

  • Town Hall

    Overijssel

    Zwolle's Town Hall consists of the stately old council chamber and adjacent new wing, in front of which stands a statue of Adam (1881) by French sculptor…

  • Penninckshuis

    Overijssel

    Among the splendid reminders of Deventer's Hanseatic past is the Penninckshuis, in the enclosure behind the statue of Albert Schweitzer. Home of the 16th…

  • De Wieden Visitor Centre

    Overijssel

    The visitor centre in Sint Jansklooster has informational boards on the landscape and wildlife of the region, plus a tea house with pleasant terrace. A…

  • Stedelijk Museum

    Overijssel

    The city museum occupies the old and new town halls, the former a late Gothic masterpiece adorned with sculpted figures. The top-floor exhibit is devoted…

  • Koornmarktpoort

    Overijssel

    The oldest city gate of medieval Kampen to survive, the Koornmarktpoort was built next to the corn market in the 14th century and fortified with a twinset…

  • Ikonenmuseum

    Overijssel

    Religious icons are the subject of this museum in a 17th-century monastery. Hundreds from around the world are shown here, spanning the centuries; most…

  • Etty Hillesum Centre

    Overijssel

    The centre is devoted to the writer and philosopher Etty Hillesum, a Jewish woman who lived in Deventer prior to the Second World War. Like Anne Frank,…

  • Walstraat 20

    Overijssel

    Shows a woman descending the wall while hanging by a sheet, a reminder of its former use as a women's prison. Nearby are murals from the novels of Charles…

  • Oldest Stone House

    Overijssel

    On a tiny alley just off Kleine Poot, look for the oldest stone house in town, a much-modified AD 1100 vintage building with still-discernible Romanesque…

  • Grote Kerk

    Overijssel

    This monumental Gothic church (1370–1452) is grand, but was much grander before lightning knocked down the tower – the highest in the Netherlands – in…

  • Bergkerk

    Overijssel

    At the top of Bergstraat, this deconsecrated Romanesque basilica (1198-1209) has landmark towers that date to the 13th century. It plays host to…

  • Broederpoort

    Overijssel

    This medieval city gate, with its four slender towers, is on the western fringe of the old town. It was built in 1465 but refashioned during the…

  • Cellebroederpoort

    Overijssel

    This sturdy, rectangular city gate was constructed in 1465 but rebuilt in a Renaissance style around 1615.

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