Elburg

The old Zuiderzee harbour of Elburg suffered so badly in the past and was so often flooded by the rising water that it had to be completely rebuilt further inland in the 14th century. The checkerboard pattern dates back to that time. Elburg was originally a village of fishermen, but their place in the harbor has now been taken by water sports enthusiasts from the Veluwemeer. Of the historical monuments in the center, the old Vischpoort, which was part of the ramparts, is one of the most attractive. Through the casemates below, guided tours are organized in summer. The Vischpoort leads, among other things, to the harbor where the current botter fleet is docked. You can recognize a botter by the abbreviation EB.

The golden age as a fishing port is clearly over. In 1930 Elburg had a fleet of 72 ships, consisting of botters, pluts, thumps and punts. They fished for sea herring, flounder, smelt, anchovies and eels. That's all over now. Whether the smelled oal from the well-known eel smokehouse Van Triest still comes from its own waters is not entirely clear, but it still tastes like the best.

Lannoo