The IJsselmeer is a lake (ndl. sea), which was closed in 1932 by the Zuiderzee was built with a dike from the Frisian coast near Zurich to Den Oever on the former island of Wieringen. After the cordon, various pieces of land were wrested from the water, i.e. polded in, until the late 1960s. Today these form the province Flevoland. In 1976 another dike was built by Enkhuizen to Lelystad created, which should initiate the polarization of the Markerwaaerd. Nothing came of that, the new lake that was created is now called Markermeer.
background
At the location of today's IJsselmeer, only much smaller, a lake area already existed 500 years before our era.
Lacus Flevo
Pomponius Mela, a Roman geographer, called the lake district in his "De Choreographia" from 44 Lacus Flevo. In other sources it is from Flevum the speech.
Aelmere
In the years following Roman times, Lake Flevo enlarged due to the crumbling of the banks. In a hagiography about the Anglo-Saxon bishop Bonifatius is dated Aelmere spoken. Bonifatius sailed over the Aelmere in 753 (ael probably means "eel"). At that time, the water of the lake was not yet in contact with the open sea and was therefore still sweet to slightly salty. So eels could well have felt fine. The church of Utrecht had fishing rights in the Almere.
Zuiderzee
Various reasons led to the enlargement of the Aelmeres in the course of the Middle Ages. These include a warming of the climate and the excavation of bog areas in West Friesland (Enkhuizen, Medemblik etc.), making over the river Vlie a connection between the Aelmere and the Wadden Sea was established.
After various flood disasters in 1164, 1212, 1214, 1219 and 1248, lake water reached the Almere and the dunes near Callantsoog were knocked away. The removal of the natural barriers turned the inland lake into an inland sea. After the devastating St. Lucia flood of 1287, which killed tens of thousands of people, this process was completed and henceforth was carried out by the Zuiderzee spoken.
The survivors made the best of it and turned to trading. Merchant ships traveled the sea, port cities such as Kampen or Harderwijk were members of the Hanseatic League and the United East India Company's ships reached Amsterdam and Hoorn via the Zuiderzee. The Zuiderzee was also an important fishing area. In 1900, when the Zuiderzee fishery was at its peak, around 3,000 flat-bottomed vessels fished for herring, anchovy, eel, flounder and shrimp.
The downside was the recurring floods, which regularly killed people. In many of the former fishing villages on the former Zuiderzee coast, monuments can be found that commemorate those who did not return from the sea.
During the 19th century the idea of piling up the Zuiderzee in whole or in part grew. The Zuiderzee was no longer important for international merchant shipping, and poldering also fitted in with the belief in progress of the industrial revolution. The project would create a lot of new soil for agriculture and shorten the constantly threatened coastline by around 250 km. After a few decades of discussion and planning as well as another devastating flood in the areas north of Amsterdam, the plans of the hydraulic engineer Cornelis Lely were implemented from 1920. In August the first large polder, the Wieringermeerpolder, was drained. The construction of the final dike, which was supposed to separate the Zuiderzee from the open sea, began in 1927. The dike was closed on May 28, 1932, thus sealing the end of the Zuiderzee.
IJsselmeer
The newly created lake (lake is called in Dutch sea) was named after the largest river that flows into it: the (Gelderse) IJssel. After the dike was closed, the polishing work continued. This was followed in 1942 - during the German occupation - by the Noordoostpolder with the center of Emmeloord and the earlier islands Document and Schokland, between 1950 and 1957 the polder Oostelijk Flevoland and between 1959 and 1968 the polder Zuidelijk Flevoland. It was planned to also drain the Markermeer between the West Frisian peninsula and Amsterdam. The Houtribdijk between Enkhuizen and Lelystad was built in 1976 for this purpose, but protests by various environmental organizations and municipalities as well as financial considerations caused the project to fail. So the open character of Waterland are preserved north of Amsterdam.
Water reservoir
The IJsselmeer is the largest lake in the Netherlands. It has a surface of 1100 km². Its lowest point, the Val van Urk, is located at Urk (5.5 m below sea level). Then there is the Markermeer with 700km². The lakes are fed from different sources:
- Rhine
- via the Utrechtse Vecht (through the IJmeer and the Markermeer)
- over the IJssel (through the Ketelmeer)
- Overijsselse Vecht (through the Zwarte Water, the Zwarte Meer and the Ketelmeer)
- Eem (through the Eemmeer, the Gooimeer, the IJmeer and the Markermeer)
- Hierdense Beek (through the Veluwemeer, Drontermeer and the Ketelmeer)
- Amstel (through the IJ, IJmeer and Markermeer).
The water is discharged into the Wadden Sea via two lock complexes, the Stevinsluis near Den Oever (Noord-Holland) and the Lorentzsluizen near Kornwerderzand. The discharge takes place at low tide, when the water in the Wadden Sea is lower than in the IJsselmeer.
Another function is to provide fresh water to the surrounding areas. So at Lemmer water is let in to Fryslân and Groningen to supply with fresh water. The water is also used for the drinking water supply. In summer, when the rivers have relatively little water, but at the same time a lot of water is needed, the water in the IJsselmeer is 20 cm higher than in winter.
It is expected that the amount of water that has to be discharged to the Wadden Sea will double as a result of climate change. It can be assumed that the water in the Wadden Sea will rise 25 cm compared to the IJsselmeer. Therefore, the intention is now to double the processing capacity of the locks and to improve the ecological connection between the IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea.
Marginal lakes
Looking counter-clockwise from the west, there are the following peripheral lakes of the IJsselmeer:
- Markermeer
- IJmeer
- Gooimeer
- Eemmeer
- Nijkerkernauw
- Fringing lakes on the Veluwe
- Nuldernauw
- Wolderwijd
- Veluwemeer
- Drontermeer
- Northern Rim Lakes
- Vossemeer
- Ketelmeer
- Black sea
Cities and villages
Clockwise from east to west. Places marked with (Z) are located on the old Zuiderzee coast and now belong to the surrounding provinces. Places marked with (M) are on the Markermeer, which, strictly speaking, is not part of the IJsselmeer. Places marked with (F) belong to the province of Flevoland.
- Makkum
- Piaam
- Guest
- Workum
- Hindeloopen
- Whey
- Stavoren
- Laaxum
- Mirns
- Lemmer
- Document (F)
- Kuinre (Z)
- Blokzijl (Z)
- Vollenhove (Z)
- Genemuiden (Z)
- Kampen (Z)
- Elburg (Z)
- Harderwijk (Z)
- Lelystad (F)
- Spakenburg (Z)
- Huizen (Z)
- Naarden (Z)
- Muiden (M)
- Monnickendam (M)
- Volendam (M)
- Edam (M)
- Hoorn (M)
- Enkhuizen
- Medemblik
- The oever
- Andijk
Tourist Attractions
Closing dike
The closure dike (Dutch Afsluitdijk, West Frisian Ofslútdyk) separates the IJsselmeer from the open North Sea. The 32 km long and 90 m wide structure was built between 1927 and 1932.
The Dutch motorway "Rijksweg 7" runs over the dike and is used by around 9500 vehicles every day (As of 2009)Good to know: there is another one about halfway down the dike at Breezanddijk 1 Possibility to turn on the dike. There is also one here Gas station. By the way, Breezanddijk is the smallest settlement in the Netherlands with its own postcode. In 2009, 4 residents were registered here. There is still a port of refuge on both sides of the dike.
Furthermore, there is a 2 - 3 m wider Bidirectional cycle path with over the entire dike.
Sights on the dike:
- western 1 Locks The oever with swing bridges
- The final monument is on the south-western third: 2 Afsluitdijk Monument. The building has an observation tower and a small restaurant.
- eastern 3 Locks Kornwerderzand (also turning on the motorway)
- Kazemattenmuseum Kornwerderzand. Located at the Kornwerdersand locks. A bunker and some of the fortified gun emplacements from World War II can be viewed. For historical background and information about the museum, see also the German Wikipedia article Kornwerderzand.Open: only for online registered visitors.Price: 8 €.
Natural areas
The Oostvaardersplassen are a nature area of around 6000 hectares between Almere and Lelystad in the province Flevoland. The Oostvaardersplassen are of international importance as alluvial land and wintering areas for migratory birds. The area consists of two different areas: a wet and a dry area. The nature area has limited access to visitors.
When you visit the Oostvaardersplassen, you get to know the Netherlands as it may have looked thousands of years ago. An untouched marshland with extensive lakes and desolate pastures. Nature is allowed to develop unrestrictedly. This is unique for the Netherlands and for Europe.
The Oostvaardersplassen are known for their abundance of birds. Reed-dwellers such as herons, bitterns and reed warblers occur in it. But geese, spoonbills and cormorants also feel at home here. Even the white-tailed eagle is sighted regularly and has been breeding here since 2005. It is therefore not surprising that the area attracts bird lovers from all over the world. The dikes around the area are true "bird boulevards". In winter the harsh landscape is impressively bare and quiet, but as soon as spring comes, it is noisy from all corners and ends. Then tens of thousands of gray geese are moulting. A few hundred stay here to brood. The rutting season of the red deer begins in September. For weeks the rutting screams of the deer resound over the plain.
In order not to disturb the peace and quiet of the birds, a large part of the Oostvaardersplassen is closed to visitors. The freely accessible part is a kind of miniature version of the Oostvaardersplassen. With a jungle, water sections, reed beds and large grass-eaters. The Praamwegviaduct offers an excellent view. The birds can mainly be seen from April to July.
- 1 Buitencentrum Oostvaardersplassen, Kitsweg 1, Lelystad. Tel.: 31 (0)320-254585. From the visitor center there are circular hiking trails to various bird observation points (walks of 2 to 5 km in length are possible, the observation points are marked as viewpoints in OpenStreetMap).Open: Opening times: (as of 2015) April to October: Tue-Sun 10 am-5pm; Nov. to March: Tue-Fri 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat and Sun 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed on December 25th, 26th and 31st. as well as on 1.1.
fishing
From 1932 the number of fishermen on the IJsselmeer was reduced. A large part was compensated for by the state. Another part, most of them from the ex-island Urk, were looking for new fishing grounds in the North Sea. At the end of 2006 there were only about 30 fishing operations in the entire IJsselmeer area.
The fish population in the gradually becoming sweet lake changed. The government released pikeperch, which is thriving. The IJsselmeer eel was initially very satisfied with the new living conditions. The only species of fish that was adopted from the old Zuiderzee was the smelt.
Shore connections
There are two boat connections across the IJsselmeer:
- Enkhuizen - Stavoren (Salon ship for pedestrians and bicycles "Bep Glasius") Tel: 0228-326667.
- Timetable: Departure Enkhuizen: 18.-29.4. as well as 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th-25th October: 8.30 am (A 9.50), 4.30 pm (A 17.50); 1.5.-67.9. Mon-Sun 8.30 (A 9.50), 12.30 (A 13.50), 16.30 (A 17.50). Departure Stavoren: 18.-29.4. as well as 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th-25th October: 10.05 (A 11.40), 18.05 (A 19.30); 1.5.-67.9. Mon-Sun 10.05 (A 11.40), 14.05 (A 15.39), 18.05 (A 19.30). (A) means arrival.
- Fares: (2009) One way (12) € 9.80; Child (4-11) € 6.20; Bicycles € 4.90; Tandems, recumbent bicycles, bicycles with trailers, scooters, mopeds, canoes € 7.50M day return ticket (12) € 13.20; Child (4-11) € 7.60; Bicycles € 6.90; Tandems, mopeds, etc. € 11.00.
- Enkhuizen - Urk (Three-masted sailing ship "Willem Barentsz") Tel: 06-51491943.
- Timetable: (2009) 13.7.-14.8 .: Mon-Sat departure Urk Motorfahrt 8.45 a.m. (A 7.45 p.m.), sailing 3.15 p.m. (A 5.45 p.m.) Departure Enkhuizen sailing 11.15 a.m. (A 1.45 p.m.), motor drive 6.15 p.m. (A 8.00 p.m.). No trip on August 7th.
- Fares: (2009) Single trip (12) motor € 12.00, sail € 20.00; Children (4-11) motor € 9.00, sail € 16.00; Return trip (12) engine € 17.50, sail € 30.00; Engine / sail € 23.75; Children (4-11) motor € 13.50, sail € 24.00, motor / sail @ 13.75. Bicycles one way € 7.00, return ticket € 10.00.
- Enkhuizen -? (Charter) (Various sailing ships) Tel: 49 (0) 30-56796014 | Website: Holland Sail
- Charter: You can sail a day trip or several days and determine the timetable yourself.
Two dikes connect the banks of the IJsselmeer.
- Afsluitdijk Den Oever - Zurich 32 km. Motorway A7 (E22). The European hiking route E9 also runs over the dike North Lake Trailfrom Portugal to the Baltic States.
- Houtribdijk Enkhuizen - Lelystad 36 km. Expressway N302 (Kootwijk / A1 - Hoorn-Noord / A7).
