Attraction: Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is a neighborhood of Zaandam, which is near Zaandijk, the Netherlands. This small town is most well-known for its historical windmills and houses, which are in excellent condition. In the Zaanstreek district of Amsterdam, old buildings from all over the city were relocated using lowboy trailers starting in 1961 and ending in 1974. The Zaans Museum, which was founded in 1994 near the first windmill in the Zaanse Schans, is located south of the neighbourhood.

Zaanse Schans is one of the many popular tourist attractions in the Netherlands, and an important cultural marker for the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). There were approximately 1.8 million visitors to the neighbourhood in 2018. It is accessible by getting on and off at Zaandijk Zaanse Schans station, which is 18 minutes away from Amsterdam Centraal station.

Seven museums, including the Weavers’ House, the Cooperage, the Jisper House, Zaan Time Museum, Albert Heijn Museum Shop, and the Bakery Museum are on display at the Zaanse Schans. The neighborhood is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area, and there is a contentious debate in local politics on how to reduce overcrowding.