Day 80: Fri 5 Sep - Haarlem

13-19 deg C, a sunny but cool day

Walk G: 11km; total 618km

Walk W: 6km; total: 511km

After breakfast we wandered down to Windmill De Adrian, an 18th-century riverside windmill. Just as we arrived a gang of workers were getting on with the business of surrounding the whole thing with scaffolding! There’s been a lot of that during our tour. Seems as though half of Europe is being renovated, that’s what happens with cities full of old buildings. 

We then strolled along the canal, watched a swing bridge, many boats/vessels of all shapes and sizes pass through, then the bridge closed again. We saw some wonky houses; their foundations have been a little compromised by the water level. We just happened to pass by McDonalds so stopped in to give their hot chocolate a try. It wasn’t very hot and not too sweet for us.  

The large market square was next, it has a number of old and great looking buildings surrounding it. Last time we were here we didn’t venture inside The Great Church of St Bavo, so decided to give it a go. It was large inside and not too OTT. Interestingly, the floor of the church consists entirely of gravestones, about 1,500 of them, the oldest dating back to the 15th century.

Back to the hotel for lunch and a little rest via the supermarket for dinner supplies.

Greg went out again to visit the Haarlem Archaeological Museum in one of the old buildings in market square. He suspects the displays haven’t changed much since we visited last time. Although being a keen archaeological fan he didn’t mind at all. 

He then wandered over to Saint Bavo of Ghent Catholic Cathedral that is HUGE! In fact it is even bigger than the cathedral in Cologne, which is also huge. It was undergoing renovations in 2012 and 2014, so we missed out twice during previous visits here. He climbed the appropriately named Stairway to Heaven, accompanied by the music from the song of the same name. All in all a beautiful building both inside and out. 

Very pretty, but doesn’t need much attention - they are plastic!

Windmill De Adriaan

Archaeological Museum

St Bavo Church (Old)

The Christian Müller organ. It has 5,068 pipes and is almost 30m high. In 1766 Mozart, who was only 10 years old played it, as did G.F. Händel.

Stunning wooden ceiling 

The Holy Ghost Bench (Bread Bench), c1470; where the Holy Ghost Masters handed out bread to the poor. 

The oldest “safe” in Haarlem, dating back to the 15th century. It once contained the city rights of Haarlem.

The “orphan box” where money was collected for the benefit of the orphans. Now the proceeds go towards the restoration works.

The ship models were gifted by the Shipbuilders Guild, date from the 16th and 17th centuries, and are models of the ships that were built in Haarlem at that time.

The Choir is closed off at the front by a masterpiece of medieval craftsmanship, a copper choir screen from 1517. 

Inside The Choir

Brass lecturn inside the choir that is shaped like a pelican, at least this what a pelican was thought to look like in 1499!

Stained-glass window and the sun shining through

Had to be in the right place at the right time

The reverse side of the communion board in the choir with a report of the siege of Haarlem in 1573. Line 8 tells us that the people of Haarlem were so hungry that “dogs and cats were called roast game”.

The weather-beaten, original (1496) statue of Mary

Stained-glass window “Peace”

Stadhuis Haarlem

Archaeological Museum

Saint Bavo of Ghent Catholic Cathedral

Bishops residence 

Municipal Theatre Haarlem

Canal scenery

Honey, I shrunk the car!

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