If you are considering Gorinchem as a destination, you can get to know the city through its fortress history, museums and paths by the water. Gorinchem is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hollandse Waterlinies; this designation applies to the area within the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, including its core and buffer zones. From Gorinchem, you can also explore the southernmost part of the Hollandse Waterlinies. To help plan your visit, start with a simple question: would you like to focus on structures and their history, follow a themed route, or combine different perspectives on the water landscape?
Fortress history in its structures
The Grote Toren is a late-medieval tower. Its former Catholic St. Maartenskerk was so badly damaged during the siege of 1813/1814 that it was demolished. A church building from the 19th century now stands on the site; the tower is called the Grote Toren. You can climb the tower and enjoy the view from this most prominent building in the fortress. The visit thus combines architectural history with a view from above.
The Dalempoort is the only surviving city gate in Gorinchem. It dates from 1597 and has a small clock tower. A footpath beneath the gate leads to the Merwede. Following it gives you a good view of the city ramparts and the Korenmolen De Hoop. This lets you combine a visit to the city gate with a walk that takes in other parts of the fortress.
Walks with a focus of their own
The Poëzieroute Gorinchem offers a themed walk through the fortress: the route is 7.5 kilometres long and passes 40 poems and text fragments related to Gorinchem. QR codes in the accompanying booklet let you listen to the poems on a smartphone or tablet. The Wandelpad over de vestingwallen has a different focus. This circular route runs along the almost entirely preserved fortress ramparts, with their bastions, and offers views of harbours and rivers. While the Poëzieroute weaves texts into the walk, the Wandelpad focuses on the course of the ramparts, the bastions and views of the water.
The Industrieel erfgoed route Gorinchem has its own theme too: using the izi.TRAVEL app, it takes you through the city’s industrial past and covers harbours, artisans’ houses, warehouses and factories. Official VVV guides also lead tours through Gorinchem, bringing the city’s hidden stories and character to life. You can therefore choose between a self-guided route with specific stops, a themed route in an app and a guided city walk.
Museums, a mill and ways onto the water
The Gorcums Museum is easily accessible for people with disabilities and wheelchair users. The reception desk also houses the VVV information point for activities in Gorinchem. The Hendrick Hamel Museum tells the story of the 17th-century voyage of the seafarer Hendrick Hamel. This includes the shipwreck, his captivity in Korea and his later escape to Japan. The story of a sea voyage thus adds another historical perspective to the accounts of the city’s fortifications and industry.
The De Hoop windmill was built in 1764. The gallery mill stands on the city wall by the Boven-Merwede and is easy to see from the water. Visitors can go inside the mill and onto the gallery, where they can enjoy views of the Waterlinielandschap 1672. You can therefore experience De Hoop both as a structure on the city wall and from its gallery.
There are different ways to travel on the water. The Gorinchem–Woudrichem foot and bicycle ferry operates year-round according to a fixed timetable. Check the timetable when planning your day. Bootverhuur Gorinchem’s boarding point is in central Gorinchem, at the Lingehaven; from there, you can head straight onto the Linge. Before travelling, check the boarding point details with the operator. The ferry focuses on the connection between Gorinchem and Woudrichem and its timetable; with the boat rental, your trip starts at the Lingehaven and takes you onto the Linge.
For the broader travel overview: Gorinchem.
