In Rijssen, the city’s history leads from the museum through the textile and jute industries to a historic mill. There is also a guided tour of the centre, a ride on an electrically powered boat and a large Monday morning market. For your stay, you can choose from different ways to explore the city: collections and exhibitions, its industrial past or an outdoor walking tour.
Museums: Local History and Firefighting
Rijssen’s remarkable history is the common thread running through the collection at the Rijssens Museum. The Brandweermuseum focuses on something different: it houses around 15,000 firefighting-related items from all over the world. This figure gives an indication of the collection’s size; the exhibition also uses interactive displays to show what life is like for a firefighter. Alongside the objects, it highlights the perspective and day-to-day work of the fire service.
A scavenger hunt takes visitors past various firefighting items at the Brandweermuseum. It adds an activity to the exhibition visit, making the objects part of the route through the museum. Those interested in firefighting history can explore both the collection and its interactive interpretation; the activity is a distinct part of the museum’s offering.
Textile History and the Pelmolen Ter Horst
The Textile and Jute Route passes characteristic sites connected with Rijssen’s textile and jute industries. Its focus differs from that of the museum collections: it centres on locations associated with local industrial history. This offers another way to explore Rijssen’s past—not just through objects in a collection, but also by following the traces of its industries.
The Pelmolen Ter Horst is a striking example of the region’s industrial history. Jan ter Horst of Rijssen had it built in 1752; it soon became one of Twente’s three most important industrial mills. The octagonal gallery windmill stands on a shed on the outskirts of Rijssen, beside the Regge. When the wind is favourable, visitors can see the oil-pressing operation in full working order. Wind is essential: this condition is precisely what makes the mill’s operation a special part of the visit.
Walking Tour or Boat Trip
The Centrumroute offers a specific timeframe and distance for a guided walk through the centre: it is about 3 kilometres long and takes more than 1.5 hours. The route passes through the centre of the Hanseatic city of Rijssen. When planning your stay, you can use these approximate details to plan your time without treating the distance as a walking-time estimate.
The Regt door Zee II offers a different perspective. Visitors can board in Rijssen and take a trip. The present-day vessel is an electrically powered replica of the last-built Enterse Zomp, which was launched in 1876. A trip on the Regt door Zee II offers peace and beautiful natural scenery. In Rijssen, you can choose between a guided city walk and a boat trip as two different ways of getting around.
Visit the Monday Market
The large Monday market takes place in the centre of Rijssen in the morning. The stalls sell food and non-food items, including clothing and fabrics. The market pairs a visit to the centre with a closer look at the local range of goods. As market times may change, check the current hours before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Holten.
Go to the main travel overview: Rijssen-Holten.
