Holiday apartment in Zwartewaterland – Discover the waterscape and cultural heritage

In Zwartewaterland, floodplain landscapes, water management, Hasselt’s protected historic townscape and traditional craftsmanship come together. Between the Zwartewater and the towns of Hasselt, Zwartsluis and Genemuiden lie very different settings: paths through open lowland landscapes, historic structures, museums and waterways for boat trips. The result is a destination where nature observation, the history of technology and local culture stand side by side.

Water and nature

The floodplains of the Zwartewater offer walks along raised, winding dykes on both sides of the river and its floodplains. From the paths along the Zwartewater, there are views across the Mastenbroek polder and the peat meadows of the Olde Maten. Among others, quails, cormorants and storks can be found along the Zwartewater; in winter, geese can be observed there, while in spring there are also redshanks, curlews and oystercatchers. The landscape is therefore not only an open space by the water, but also a habitat with changing seasonal characteristics.

From Zwartsluis, there are various options for boat trips through Weerribben-Wieden National Park. For such trips, a boat with a skipper can be rented. The connection with the water thus extends from the dykes and floodplains along the Zwartewater to a trip through the protected area of Weerribben-Wieden.

Culture and history

Hasselt is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in the Netherlands. The town has more than 70 Rijksmonumenten, meaning officially recognised Dutch listed buildings and monuments. The historic town centre of Hasselt and its defensive belt were designated as a protected townscape in 1982. This historic townscape derives its special character above all from its canals, quays and monumental buildings.

Among the notable buildings is the Korenmolen De Zwaluw, which was built as a grain mill in 1857. In the 1950s, De Zwaluw was part of a pilot project for generating electricity and housed the first wind turbine in Overijssel. The Oude Stoomgemaal Mastenbroek has served for water management since 1856 and is considered one of the most interesting monuments of Dutch water-management engineering.

The Oude Stadhuis in Hasselt is a late Gothic building. Among other things, visitors can view a unique historical weapons collection, paintings and temporary exhibitions there; guided tours are available by appointment.

Museums and craftsmanship

Sluuspoort in Zwartsluis is a central visitor centre with good accessibility and free parking. The Schoonewelle Museum voor Natuur en Ambacht has been located in Sluuspoort since 2012 and houses rare natural-history objects. In Hasselt, the restored Kalkovens are now a unique industrial museum. Shells were burned there to produce lime, which was used as a raw material for mortar in construction and for the restoration of buildings. The limeworks finally closed in 1990; this marked the disappearance of the last shell-lime kiln still operating in Western Europe.

The Tapijtmuseum in Genemuiden has permanent exhibitions on the machine hall, the world of floor coverings, a glimpse inside a factory and the workshop. It presents the development of the Genemuiden carpet industry – from the production of rush and coir mats to today’s factory production of 700 kilometres of broadloom tufted carpet per week. The museum demonstrates rush weaving, the traditional production of coir mats, and weaving on wooden looms and old weaving machines.

Routes and discoveries

In the regional context of the IJsseldelta, cycling routes follow the dykes along the Zwartewater and explore the history of Mastenbroek. The Ons Erfgoed App complements these routes with images, audio, augmented reality and 3D experiences that bring the cultural heritage to life along the way. The app also makes it possible to put together individual walking or cycling routes along selected points of interest.

Zwartewaterland therefore offers various ways to explore: walks along dykes, observations in the floodplains, boat trips on the water, historic townscapes and museums that bring craftsmanship, nature and technology to life.

For the overarching travel overview: Overijssel.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Dinkelland, Raalte, Borne, Dalfsen, Hellendoorn.