Gouda
Gouda is a beautiful historic city in 'het Groene Hart'.
The city originated in the Middle Ages at the confluence of the Gouwe and the Hollandsche IJssel. At the end of the thirteenth century, Gouda was granted city rights. Gouda has always been a rich city and this is still noticeable when you walk around the cultural center. Good examples are the town hall of Gouda, which is located in the middle of the main square, and the Sint-Janskerk. The city is world famous for its Gouda cheese. But not only the cheese, no, candles, pipes and stroopwafels are also famous Gouda products. The city is at its best in December. A light evening is then organized here. Thousands of lights give the center of the city even more shine. The famous Gouda cheese market is now only organized in the summer months. This can be perfectly combined with a holiday at Recreatiepark de Koornmolen. From Zevenhuizen there is a direct bus to Gouda. Gouda is also good for cycling. By car is also a good option. Gouda has sufficient parking space.
Below we have selected a top 5 sights:
The market
The name of the central square in Gouda is 'Markt'. The square is shaped separately. It has a more or less triangular shape and has been there since the 14th century. It was built at that time to build the new town hall. Another striking building on the Markt is the Waag. The Waag originates from 1668 and used to be the cheese weighing station. The Gouda Cheese Museum is now located in this building. On the edge of the Market is the Sint-Janskerk. The other buildings around the square are now shops, restaurants and cafes. The Gouda Cheese Market is also held on the Markt. The Markt can rightly be called the bustling heart of the city. The many terraces are very atmospheric in both summer and winter.
City hall
This unique building (see photo above) is located in the middle of the Markt in Gouda. The town hall is all alone in the center of the Market. Why is that? In 1438 a large city fire raged in Gouda. All houses and buildings were destroyed. The municipal archive also caught fire and nothing was left of it. There are therefore no, or few, documents to be found from before 1437. During the rebuilding of the city, an enormous square was therefore laid and the city hall was built in the middle of that square. As a result, any subsequent fire could not easily spread to the most important building in the city. The town hall is built in the Gothic style. The facade is characterized by the pointed towers, arched windows and stone statues of important people in Dutch history, such as Charles the Bold and Philip the Good. Philip the Good was partly responsible for the rebuilding of Gouda, which at that time was one of the largest cities in the Netherlands. Today the town hall is the eye-catcher of the city. In winter, an ice skating rink is often built around the town hall. The Market of Gouda is extremely atmospheric.
Sint-Jans Church
The 15th-century Gothic building is located in the heart of Gouda on the Markt. The church is no less than 123 meters long, making it the longest church building in the Netherlands. The church is also very famous for its series of stained glass, which are called the Gouda glasses. It consists of 72 windows of various sizes, which were filled with stained glass windows in the 16th century by famous glass painters of the time. The Sint-Janskerk was in the past dedicated to John the Baptist. The colors red and white symbolize this saint. You see these colors again in the city coat of arms of Gouda.
Gouda Cheese Market
Who says Gouda, says Cheese! Gouda cheeses are sold worldwide and are very famous. In Gouda they are every Thursday morning on the Market; a wonderful spectacle. Everyone can attend the weekly Gouda Cheese Market. Farmers and traders gather here to negotiate the cheese. Huge quantities of cheese are sold this way.
https://welkomingouda.nl/kaas/gouda-kaasmarkt
Gouda Syrup Waffle Factory
The Gouda Syrup Waffle Factory is located in a beautiful monumental building in the heart of Gouda. A visit to the factory is a great experience that you will not soon forget. Your Syrup Waffle experience starts here. It starts with the most important thing when you arrive: tasting the Kamphuisen syrup waffle. An interactive movie will then play, after which you will have to find the secret passage to the factory. In the factory you lend a hand and crack the safe with the secret recipe for the Gouda Kamphuisen syrup waffle
https://siroopwafelfabriek.nl/
If you see Gouda, you see the Netherlands.