In Oudewater, two stories of craftsmanship meet: weighing and rope-making. Museums, historic buildings and routes explore these themes in different ways—from the scales at the De Heksenwaag Museum to paths that pass hemp fields and the Touwfabriek.

Scales, witch trials and the town’s history

The De Heksenwaag Museum presents the history of witch trials in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Visitors can be weighed on the original scales and receive a Certificaet van Weginghe. Reservation and access arrangements may change. The historic weighing method is also linked to a distinctive part of the town’s history: Oudewater was granted the privilege of fair weighing by Emperor Charles V and was the only town in Europe to hold this privilege.

The Stadsmuseum Oudewater, housed in the monumental historic town hall, offers a different perspective on the past. The museum includes the council chamber and the wedding hall. The wedding hall contains a mid-17th-century painting depicting the so-called “Oudewaterse moord” of 1575. The museum also features a unique medieval foundation technique not found anywhere else in the Netherlands.

The historic town centre itself also tells Oudewater’s story: it was designated a protected townscape in 1977 because of its rich history. The municipality has more than 160 listed national monuments and 140 municipal monuments. These figures refer to the municipality, not just the historic town centre.

Rope-making as a craft and cultural heritage

At the Touwmuseum, rope is presented as a sensory experience: visitors can smell it, touch it, taste it and make it themselves. This goes hand in hand with a look at the individual steps involved in traditional production. The museum explains the process, from roasting and breaking through combing and spinning to the ropewalk. This makes it possible to explore the craft not just as a finished product, but through its various stages of work.

The history of rope-making is also reflected in the landscape. The 31-kilometre Geelbuikenroute tells the story of Oudewater’s rope industry—from hemp to rope—and passes hemp fields, the Touwfabriek and the Lange Linschoten. Another testament to the town’s industrial history is the Touwbaan of the Oude Touwfabriek: it is a rare surviving example of a ropewalk of exceptional length and is of cultural and historical value.

Those who would like to try basketry themselves can find workshops at De Broedkorf in Oudewater covering the basics of basket weaving with willow and rattan. Dates and reservation options may change; check in advance.

Towers, public art and routes

The Grote Kerk, also known as the Sint-Michaëlskerk, has a distinctive saddleback tower dating from the 14th century. In the Middle Ages, the tower served as a fortification. Today, visitors can climb it on a guided tour; from the top, the view stretches across Oudewater and the surrounding Groene Hart.

Public spaces also become places for art: the Gerard David Buitenmuseum presents reproductions of paintings by Gerard David, displayed throughout the historic town centre. The route is free and accessible at any time. This lets you discover the artworks as part of a walk through the town centre, rather than viewing them in just one place.

There are different ways to plan longer routes. The Hollandse IJsselpad passes through Oudewater and connects medieval towns along the Hollandsche IJssel. Its walking stages are about 11 kilometres each; dedicated trail markers and clearly defined starting and finishing points in the towns help structure the route. Before setting out, check the information about trail markers and starting or finishing points.

Another option is the Hollandse IJsselroute Oudewater. It follows the Hollandsche IJssel and returns via the long, atmospheric Tiendweg through the farming countryside. The 31-kilometre Geelbuikenroute, by contrast, focuses specifically on the history of the rope industry. The information about the Hollandse IJsselpad stages and the length of the Geelbuikenroute describes different route formats and is not directly comparable.

Oudewater lies in the landscape of the Lopikerwaard, characterised by pollarded willows, meadows, ditches and rivers. For orientation, TIP Oudewater offers walking and cycling routes, road and waterway maps, and town maps. If you want to plan your exploration around particular routes, up-to-date route materials can be helpful.

Discover more destinations: Oudewater, Papekop, Amersfoort, Veenendaal, Bunschoten, Wijk Bij Duurstede, De Ronde Venen, Loenen.

See the overview of destinations: Utrecht.