Oudezijl’s history can be traced through a dike settlement, a historic shipyard site and a distinctive monument. The village offers several specific points of interest for planning your trip: its development around a lock, various records of shipbuilding and a streetscape that reveals the course of the old dike.
A settlement by the lock
Oudezijl developed during the 17th century as a dike settlement by a lock on the Schanskerdijk, between Nieuweschans and Finsterwolde. The place name also reflects the history of the waterways: after the Statenzijl was built farther north on the Westerwoldse Aa in 1707, this place came to be called Oudezijl. If you are interested in the village’s development, you can thus connect its name with its location by the lock and the Schanskerdijk.
Shipyard history and the railway
The Viëtor and De Wijk shipyard in Oudezijl built the ship Clasina Aidina in 1850. A year earlier, on 23 January 1849, the Zwanetta Gerhardina was launched there. These details describe different events: the construction of the Clasina Aidina is recorded, while the Zwanetta Gerhardina’s launch is dated to a specific day. Together, they offer a concrete glimpse into local shipbuilding history without conflating the two ships or their histories.
Another historic transport link was added in 1868, when the Groningen–Nieuweschans railway line was completed, giving Oudezijl new impetus.
The Locomotievenloods and the streetscape
The Locomotievenloods at Oudezijl 1 is a Dutch national monument of architectural and cultural-historical significance. The single-storey building dates from 1877 and has a semicircular floor plan. Twelve sections of brown brick form its distinctive structure. The monument offers a clear perspective on Oudezijl’s architectural history, combining a precisely dated building with a well-defined architectural description.
The western side of Verlengde Hoofdstraat also displays varied building orientations: it is densely built up, with houses set perpendicular to the street as well as houses with their gables facing it. Where the street turns off as Langeweg towards Nieuw Beerta, the old Schanskerdijk continues for a short stretch past workers’ houses before disappearing into the fields. The street frontage and field edge offer two different impressions of how buildings and the dike’s course meet.
Sculpture garden and walking route
At Oudezijl 14 is Atelier, or sculptor’s workshop, and sculpture garden Cilia de la Court, a garden with ceramic sculptures. This cultural attraction complements the historic buildings and shipyard history with a distinctive artistic touch.
The “Van schans naar vesting” walking route is signposted with walking junctions. Its surface is described in detail: 20 percent runs along unpaved sandy and grassy paths, while most of the rest is asphalt. If you plan to walk the route, you can take this mix into account when choosing your equipment, rather than judging the path solely by its surface in general terms.
Oudezijl offers a particularly clear insight into the history of a dike settlement: from its name and the lock to the shipyard and railway, and on to the monument and street layouts. When choosing a holiday apartment, this character can be a helpful starting point if you want to shape your stay around architectural and cultural history.
Discover more destinations: Midwolda, Westerlee, Reiderland, Blauwestad, Winschoten, Nieuwolda, Nieuweschans, Oostwold Gem Oldambt
For the broader travel overview: Oldambt.
