Get to know Oudendijk through its dike history: the village developed along a dike built up in the 12th century to hold back the advancing waters of the Beemster. Later, this dike formed the southern part of the Westfriese Omringdijk. A ditch south of the dike and its widening at the beginning of the 17th century are also part of the village’s origins. Other features include the architectural forms of the Hervormde Kerk, distinctive white bridges, and cultural and sporting activities. If you’re looking for hotels in Oudendijk, you can plan your stay around its history, architecture and paths.

The Dike and the Village Layout

The dike along which Oudendijk developed was built up in the 12th century to hold back the advancing waters of the Beemster. Later, this same dike formed the southern part of the Westfriese Omringdijk. A ditch ran to its south and was widened at the beginning of the 17th century to create the Beemsteruitwatering. This change led to the development of a one-sided ribbon village. A ribbon village is a settlement in which buildings are arranged along a line; here, the one-sided layout is part of the village’s described form. The sequence of events shows two distinct steps: the construction of the dike was part of Oudendijk’s origins, while the later widening of the ditch contributed to the development of its one-sided ribbon-village layout.

The Church and White Bridges

The Hervormde Kerk at Dorpsweg 24 is a single-nave church with a five-sided chancel and a roof turret on the west side. “Single-nave” describes a church interior with one main nave. The chancel is the end of the choir; in Oudendijk, it has five sides. The roof turret sits on the roof, on its western side. The architecture can therefore be described through three specific features: the layout of the church interior, the shape of the chancel, and the position of the roof turret. Oudendijk also currently has seven distinctive white bridges. While individual architectural elements draw attention to the church, the bridges shape the village’s appearance as a group, through their number and white color.

Site-Specific Theater

Stichting Watertheater Oudendijk organizes interactive, site-specific theater productions in and around the North Holland village of Oudendijk. Visitors often sit in traditional flat-bottomed boats during the productions. The format may vary from one production to another, so seating on boats should not be expected at every performance. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing the site-specific approach from the format of a particular production: the former characterizes the theater, while the latter can vary.

Paths and a Running Event

The Oudendijk-Grosthuizen cycling and walking path has been built. The Buutschooterpad runs through the Beschoot polder from Oudendijk to Grosthuizen. The two paths are notable for different reasons: the first is designated for cycling and walking, while the Buutschooterpad is defined by its route through the Beschoot polder and between the places named. Another sporting option is the Beetskoogkadeloop, also known as the Polderloop. This running event passes through the polder and covers distances of 6 and 10 kilometers. The two distances make it easy to compare the length of the routes. If you’re planning to take part, check the date and details with the local organizer.

Discover more destinations: Avenhorn, Scharwoude, Obdam, Hensbroek, Spierdijk, Zuidermeer, Berkhout, Ursem

For the broader travel overview: Koggenland.