Zuidschermer lies along the Zuidervaart, one of the two main waterways in the Schermer. Together with the churches, windmills and historic buildings, this provides a clear focus for exploring the village: its waterscape and architectural history.
Waterways and Planning
The Schermer in the Land van Leeghwater is part of the municipality of Alkmaar and is promoted as a landscape to explore by bike and on foot. The Akersloot ferry may also be useful for getting there: it crosses the Noordhollandsch Kanaal and connects the banks at Akersloot and Zuidschermer. Check the ferry times before planning your trip, as service may change.
Zuidschermer is also the starting and finishing point of the 100-kilometre “100 van Leeghwater” walk. The information refers to the 2026 edition; no other dates are implied. This long distance is clearly different from a short village walk and should be taken into account when planning.
Churches with Different Stories
The Zwarte Kerkje brings together church and school history. In 1790, a separate school building was added to the church; it served as a school until 1900. The exterior was coated with black tar, which is where the church gets its name. During its reconstruction in 1834, the characteristic black wood was replaced with brick. These details make it possible to trace the building’s history through several changes.
The Zwarte Kerkje is a national heritage monument (Rijksmonument) and also serves a social and cultural role as a village community centre. The municipality of Alkmaar also lists it as a wedding venue. The Sint Michaëlkerk offers a different architectural perspective: its surviving Expressionist detailing and furnishings are considered rare in Roman Catholic church architecture of the interwar period. The paintings in the apse and the left side chapel were created in 1946 by Jaap Min (1914–1987). The two churches therefore have different points of interest: the eventful history of the Zwarte Kerkje and the distinctive design and artworks of the Sint Michaëlkerk.
Windmills and Polder History
Poldermolen K was built in early 1635 in a low-lying part of the Schermer. It is one of 14 section mills and drained section K of the Schermer Polder, an area of 335 hectares. This figure gives a sense of the scale of the drainage task at the time. Poldermolen M was also built in early 1635, but is described as serving a different function: it was one of four subsidiary mills in a system of 17 mills between Driehuizen and De Vuyle Graft.
In the wider Schermer region, surviving windmills are recognised as national heritage monuments (Rijksmonumenten); they were once used to drain the polder. The history of the mills thus adds to the picture of the Zuidervaart: water is not only a feature of the landscape, but is also part of the history of polder management.
Building Styles in the Village Landscape
Individual buildings also show how varied local architectural history is. Westdijk 10 is a Stolp farmhouse dating from the 18th to 19th century. Its described features include a projecting wing and a bell gable facing the street. The former De Eendracht cheese factory at Zuidervaart 26, meanwhile, is an L-shaped building dating from around 1880. Both examples are markedly different from the churches and windmills: here, the focus is on farm and industrial architecture.
Those choosing a stay based on their cultural and architectural interests will find several specific points of interest in Zuidschermer: church art, school and village history, windmill technology and historic buildings. Its location along the Zuidervaart and the region’s polder history add the connection between water and landscape to this perspective.
Discover more destinations: Grootschermer, Oterleek
Back to the main travel overview: Schermer.
