Noordwijk Binnen
Noordwijk has a wealth of history within its walls. More than 100 national monuments reveal eight centuries of the town’s history, encompassing an enormous variety from the sturdy church towers of the thirteenth century to the bulb sheds of the start of the twentieth century.
Experience the Golden Age
The Golden Age is visible in many places in Noordwijk. In the seventeenth century rope was made in many parts of the village for the fleet of the Dutch east India Company and local fishing boats. The last rope maker disappeared from Douzastraat in the twentieth century. The entrance gate to the business is still a reminder of its existence.
The Golden Age left more traces behind in the church. In the tower there hangs a church bell dating back to 1672 made by the Hemony Brothers of Amsterdam. At the time they cast the best and most expensive bells in the world. Their bells hang in many famous churches, including the Westerkerk in Amsterdam.
Drowned bell
The famous Hemony bell almost disappeared into the furnaces of the occupying forces to be melted down and used for weapons. Curious about the strange story of how this bell survived the Second World War? Climb the tower on Saturday afternoon (April to October) with one of the guides. They will tell you this and lots more worth knowing during the exciting trip, which offers views as far as Amsterdam and Rotterdam.