Edam
Encyclopedia
Edam is a city in the Dutch province of Noord-Holland
. Combined with Volendam
, Edam forms the municipality of Edam-Volendam
. Approximately 7,380 people live in Edam. The whole municipality of Edam-Volendam has 28,492 inhabitants. The name Edam originates from a dam on the little river E or IJe where the first settlement was located and which was therefore called IJedam.
Edam is famous as the original source of the cheese with the same name.
The city of Edam was founded around a dam crossing the river E or IJe close by the Zuiderzee now known as the IJsselmeer
. Around 1230 the channel was dammed. At the dam goods had to be loaded onto other vessels and the inhabitants of Edam could levy a toll. This enabled Edam to grow as a trade town. Shipbuilding
and fishing
brought Edam more wealth.
Count Willem V
of Holland gave Edam city rights in 1357. One of the reasons he did this was because of the war between the Hoeken and the Kabeljauwen. They fought a battle for the rule over the cities of Holland.
Thanks to the city rights the people of Edam could make a new harbor. Because of the harbor the city was now connected with the big cities in Holland and the international trading routes. By the 16th century there were as many as 33 wharfs in Edam, which along with the fact that Edam was also granted the right to have a market three times every year provided a big boost for the local economy - making it one of the more important cities of North Holland, vying with Enkhuizen
, Hoorn
and Amsterdam
.
However, the open sea mouth caused flooding problems in the hinterland and in 1544 Emperor Charles V
gave orders to close the harbour with lock gates, which were built in the town centre in 1569. This resulted in the harbour silting up and the ship building industry went into a decline by the end of the 17th century.
The cheese market was the primarily boost of the economy of Edam in the 16th century. On the 16th of April in 1526 Emperor Charles V
gave Edam the right to have a market every week. In 1594 this right was given for eternity by Prince Willem I as a sign of appreciation for the good collaboration during the siege of Alkmaar
.
strikes to the tower. Consequently when rebuilt (in 1701) the height of the tower was significantly reduced. St Nicholas church is one of the largest 3-ridged churches in Europe. Built on piles, the weight of the church was an important consideration and the vaulted ceiling is a wooden copy of a stone ceiling. The church also contains many stained glass windows donated as gifts from neighbouring towns or by the flourishing Edam guilds (such as the guild of ships' carpenters) after the fire in 1602.
surrounds are in the Louis XIV Style and a wooden tower completes the picture. The town hall is still in active use for marriage ceremonies.
Carillon tower survives. In 1972 the tower threatened to fall, but it was shored up with steel girders and subsequently completely restored. The bells, protruding from the open lantern, were made by Pieter van den Ghein in 1566 and still ring out a short melody every 15 minutes. This melody may be varied for example typical St Nicholas songs ring out on December 5.
After the right to have a market Edam held commercial cheese markets till 1922. The cheese was brought to the market by local farmers with little boats. When the cheese was lifted out of the boat it was carried to the market by cheese carriers. At the market the cheese was shown to the merchants. After being tested for their quality the price was settled by haggling until there was an agreement about the price. After that the cheese was brought to a warehouse where it was kept until the quality was at its best.
Since 1989, the cheese market in Edam has been revived as a re-enactment for tourists. It is held each July and August on each Wednesday from 10:30 to 12:30.
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
. Combined with Volendam
Volendam
Volendam is a town in North Holland in the Netherlands, in the municipality of Edam-Volendam. The town has about 22,000 inhabitants .- History :...
, Edam forms the municipality of Edam-Volendam
Edam-Volendam
Edam-Volendam is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland, consisting of the towns of Edam and Volendam, whose centres lie just 3 km apart.-Local government:...
. Approximately 7,380 people live in Edam. The whole municipality of Edam-Volendam has 28,492 inhabitants. The name Edam originates from a dam on the little river E or IJe where the first settlement was located and which was therefore called IJedam.
Edam is famous as the original source of the cheese with the same name.
History
IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer is a shallow artificial lake of 1100 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. The IJsselmeer is the largest lake in Western Europe....
. Around 1230 the channel was dammed. At the dam goods had to be loaded onto other vessels and the inhabitants of Edam could levy a toll. This enabled Edam to grow as a trade town. Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
brought Edam more wealth.
Count Willem V
William I, Duke of Bavaria
William I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing , was the second son of the emperor Louis IV the Bavarian from his second wife Margaret of Holland and Hainaut...
of Holland gave Edam city rights in 1357. One of the reasons he did this was because of the war between the Hoeken and the Kabeljauwen. They fought a battle for the rule over the cities of Holland.
Thanks to the city rights the people of Edam could make a new harbor. Because of the harbor the city was now connected with the big cities in Holland and the international trading routes. By the 16th century there were as many as 33 wharfs in Edam, which along with the fact that Edam was also granted the right to have a market three times every year provided a big boost for the local economy - making it one of the more important cities of North Holland, vying with Enkhuizen
Enkhuizen
Enkhuizen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.Enkhuizen was one of the harbour-towns of the VOC, just like Hoorn and Amsterdam, from where overseas trade with the East Indies was conducted. It received city rights in 1355...
, Hoorn
Hoorn
-Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
However, the open sea mouth caused flooding problems in the hinterland and in 1544 Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
gave orders to close the harbour with lock gates, which were built in the town centre in 1569. This resulted in the harbour silting up and the ship building industry went into a decline by the end of the 17th century.
The cheese market was the primarily boost of the economy of Edam in the 16th century. On the 16th of April in 1526 Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
gave Edam the right to have a market every week. In 1594 this right was given for eternity by Prince Willem I as a sign of appreciation for the good collaboration during the siege of Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
.
The old city centre
The old town centre, within the borders of the old city walls, is nowadays protected by the government, both the main structures and architectural details. A number of notable buildings survive in good condition.St. Nicolas church
Grote Kerk or St. Nicholaaskerk, of cathedral dimensions, was probably built at the beginning of the 15th Century. In both 1602 and 1699 the church suffered extensive fires after lightningLightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
strikes to the tower. Consequently when rebuilt (in 1701) the height of the tower was significantly reduced. St Nicholas church is one of the largest 3-ridged churches in Europe. Built on piles, the weight of the church was an important consideration and the vaulted ceiling is a wooden copy of a stone ceiling. The church also contains many stained glass windows donated as gifts from neighbouring towns or by the flourishing Edam guilds (such as the guild of ships' carpenters) after the fire in 1602.
The Town Hall
Built in 1737 the town hall is on a somewhat larger scale than the rest of Edam. The entrance with its heavy double doors and sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
surrounds are in the Louis XIV Style and a wooden tower completes the picture. The town hall is still in active use for marriage ceremonies.
The Edam Museum
Opposite the Town hall, across the dam, is Edam's oldest brick house. This was built around 1530 as a private house and converted to a museum in 1895. The house represents typical Dutch construction of the period, and the internal layout is completely original. The house has a deeper kitchen with mezzanine living quarters above it. The kitchen leads to a floating cellar; a brick box room floating freely on ground water. According to folklore the cellar was built by a sea captain who missed the sea. However, it is more likely that cellar was built simply to keep the contents dry, while at the same time not requiring water-proof foundations.Carillon
Records suggest that the Church of Our Dear Lady was present on the site since 1350 and its tower dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. Though the church was demolished in 1882 the late GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Carillon tower survives. In 1972 the tower threatened to fall, but it was shored up with steel girders and subsequently completely restored. The bells, protruding from the open lantern, were made by Pieter van den Ghein in 1566 and still ring out a short melody every 15 minutes. This melody may be varied for example typical St Nicholas songs ring out on December 5.
Cheese Market
Since 1989, the cheese market in Edam has been revived as a re-enactment for tourists. It is held each July and August on each Wednesday from 10:30 to 12:30.