Edam’s history is reflected in its cheese tradition as well as in merchants’ houses, waterworks and a fortification. If you are planning a stay, you can get to know the city through these different traces: from the cheese trade that shaped Edam to the defence lines around Fort bij Edam.
Cheese Trade and the City’s History
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Edam was one of Holland’s most important trading towns. Shipbuilding and the cheese trade in particular brought the city great prosperity. The round Edam cheese bears its name; for centuries, it has been exported from Edam all over the world. You encounter this history not only as a story about trade, but also at places concerned with production and market activity.
The Kaaswaag Edam houses a permanent exhibition on the art of cheesemaking. The experience The Story Of Edam Cheese traces the history of Edam cheese from the past to the present. At the Edam cheese market, the ringing of a bell marks both the opening and the closing of the market day. In this way, cheesemaking knowledge, the long export tradition and a recurring market ritual represent different facets of the same cheese culture.
The Edam Museum tells the city’s story at two historic sites in the town centre. One is a late-Gothic merchant’s house, built between 1540 and 1550 and considered the oldest brick-built house in Edam. Seeing the building adds a tangible sense of the type of structure in which Edam’s past is reflected to the story of its trade.
Buildings and Historic Details
The Kaaswaag at Jan Nieuwenhuizenplein 5 is a distinctive part of the architectural heritage even when viewed from the outside: the building has a hipped roof topped by a small domed turret. A stone on the façade bears Edam’s coat of arms and the year 1778. Near the heart of the cheese tradition, you can also connect a specific architectural detail to a precise date.
De Toekomst stands on Nieuwe Haven. Built around 1890 in the Neo-Renaissance style, it is a cheese warehouse within the protected townscape. It is considered a rare and well-preserved example of its kind. Its significance is recognised in terms of cultural, architectural and typological history. Another perspective on Edam’s architectural history leads to the Damsluis: the historic vaulted structure at the western end of the Voorhaven took its present form in 1795–1798. Two heraldic stones dating from 1701 are set into the quay walls to the east.
The Speeltoren also tells the story of former buildings and construction phases. It is the tower of the former Kleine or Liebfrauenkirche. Its brick shaft dates from the 15th century; the octagonal sandstone lantern was built in 1568–1569. Together, the Damsluis and De Toekomst offer a way into the city’s history that does more than list individual sights: it contrasts different building purposes and periods.
Fort bij Edam and the Water Defence Lines
Fort bij Edam was built at the beginning of the 20th century as the north-easternmost part of the Stelling van Amsterdam. The almost untouched site includes an original salvage or storage shed, the fort keeper’s house, the surrounding field of fire and adjoining polders that served as a flood zone. This makes it possible to understand the fort not only through its buildings, but also through the layout of the grounds and their defensive function.
The fort has also developed into a breeding and living habitat for many bird and land-animal species. For the 2026 visitor season, weekly opening days with guided tours are listed. The grounds can also be explored independently; a site plan and a short description are provided for this purpose. Check the schedule before setting out so you can plan your visit accordingly.
If you are interested in the wider context of the defence lines, Edam is the starting point of the 350-kilometre LAW Waterliniepad. The route follows the former Stelling van Amsterdam and the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. A Hollandse Waterlinies route guide also presents a walking route and a cycling route for each of the nine regions, where the UNESCO World Heritage Site is clearly visible. The area stretches from Edam to Giessen. The two offerings therefore differ in the form described: a long route starting in Edam and regional suggestions for walking and cycling.
Plan Your Journey and Stay
From Amsterdam, EBS bus line 314 runs towards Hoorn and stops at the bus station in Edam. As transport information can change, it is advisable to check the connection before travelling. Edam offers a clear thematic guide when choosing where to stay: cheese history and historic buildings sit alongside the history of the fortifications and water defence lines. Which of these aspects interests you most can shape your plans, without requiring you to fit every theme into a single visit.
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