Beemster

A polder is a drained area that was originally a lake or part of the sea. It is a true specialty of the Dutch. 95% of all polders in Europe are located in the Netherlands. Most polders exhibit a landscape simplicity, or monotony if you cannot appreciate that. The oldest Dutch polders date back to the first half of the sixteenth century. At that time, they involved small lakes in North Holland that were being experimentally drained. The first large polders, the Zijpe, was drained at the end of the sixteenth century. However, the more well-known polders are from the seventeenth century and later, with the Beemster (1608-1612) being the first significant one. This polders has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999 because it exhibits specific geometric patterns that are typical of polder reclamation. Part of this polder was also a component of the Amsterdam Defense Line, which could be flooded as a strategic barrier for Amsterdam. One of the main reasons for the polders was to obtain agricultural land.

Dromos