The 45.5-meter-high water tower, the unfinished Fort bij Kwadijk and routes through the Zeevang offer different perspectives on Kwadijk: architecture, military history and polder landscape. You can choose the focus of your stay based on architectural history, culture or landscape.
The water tower: architecture and building history
Kwadijk’s well-preserved water tower was built in 1925 for the Provinciaal Waterleidingsbedrijf van Noord-Holland, based on a design by architect B.F. van Nievelt. It is 45.5 meters high and features Art Deco decoration as well as two combined flat-bottomed reservoirs. Both its design and its distinctive construction are among its defining features. The entry in the national monuments register considers the tower to be of general importance because of its architectural and cultural-historical value. Architecture enthusiasts will therefore find more than a striking height here: the year of construction, design, decoration and reservoirs offer different clues for understanding the building.
Fort bij Kwadijk: an unfinished construction project
Fort bij Kwadijk is located on the Zeevangdijk between the villages of Kwadijk and Middelie, near Purmerend. Its history is that of a fort that was never completed: the earthworks, ramparts and moat were finished in 1895, but only part of the actual fort’s foundations was built. When the Stelling van Amsterdam was mobilized in 1914, construction work was halted. Its unfinished state is therefore a central part of its history. Compared with the water tower, built in 1925, the two tell different construction stories: one completed building and one fort whose construction ended after preparatory work and part of the foundations.
Nature and routes in the Zeevang
Kwadijkervlot is one of the small marsh areas in the NNN and Natura 2000 area. This adds a nature perspective alongside the buildings, understood through its classification as a marsh area and its protected-area context. The Zeevangroute runs through the polder landscape of De Zeevang; Kwadijk is listed on it as a rest stop between the World Heritage Site of De Beemster and Edam-Volendam. The focus here is on the polder landscape and Kwadijk’s role along the route.
Church and cultural program
In Kerk Kwadijk, concerts, readings and exhibitions are regularly held in addition to church services. Students also practice their singing there. The church thus combines a recurring cultural program with a specific connection to a route: the 30-kilometer QR Kerkroute Zeevang passes by it. The two routes have different focuses: the QR Kerkroute names the church and the route’s length, while the Zeevangroute highlights the polder landscape and Kwadijk’s role as a rest stop.
When planning your trip, you can therefore decide whether you are more interested in architectural history, the cultural program or a route. Check the latest event dates and route information in advance: event calendars and route details can change. This lets you distinguish time-dependent program items from the historic features of the water tower and fort, while deciding which landscape or cultural connection you want to shape your stay.
Discover more destinations: Oosthuizen, Beets, Warder, Schardam, Middelie
Go to the main travel overview: Zeevang.
