Page 297 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

NOR THERN AND EASTERN NE THERLANDS  295

FRIESLAND

Friesland, or Fryslân as it is officially called, is a remarkable
province perhaps best known outside the Netherlands for
its distinctive Friesian cows. Parts of it are below sea level,
and its size has increased since historic times as a result
of land reclamation schemes on the former Zuiderzee.

Much of the province is fenland, whose The provincial capital of Leeuwarden
myriad canals and channels no doubt has some interesting and unique
helped the freedom-loving Frisians fight museums, while elsewhere in the
off invaders. The 1345 battle of Warns, province visitors can enjoy collections
when the Frisians beat the Dutch army, consisting of items as diverse as historic
is still commemorated every year. In the costumes and hats, ceramics, letters, ice
7th century, the Frisians under their king, skates and sledges, vernacular paintings,
Radboud, inhabited an independent bells, model boats and human
territory that stretched all the way to mummies. Outside the towns, the
Flanders and Cologne (see pp48–9), and landscape is interesting too, from
they have preserved their distinctive the mud flats on the Waddenzee to
language to this day. Other features the forests and heathland of the
peculiar to this province are unique Drents-Friese Woud National Park,
sports and recreations like sailing and away to the east. Tourism is becoming
racing in skûtjes (traditional Frisian boats), increasingly important in Friesland
hunting for plovers’ eggs, fierljeppen (pole- nowadays and its inhabitants less
vaulting), keatsen (a ball game), and the insular. Visitors are greeted with open
famous Elfstedentocht, a winter ice-skating arms and Jo binne tige welcom – “You
marathon around 11 Frisian towns. are heartily welcome.”

Bartlehiem, the junction of the Elfsteden (11 towns) – a favourite summer destination for day-trippers
Display showing the position of planets in the solar system, Planetarium Friesland

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