Elburg

Elburg, like so many Dutch towns around what used to be the Zuiderzee, once belonged to the Hanseatic League and was a seafaring town. Fishing and trading with far off countries made Elburg prosperous. It is a small, fortified town, doubly protected by walls and a dike, as well as water. It forms a square, with canons on the bulwarks. The dike is now a lovely footpath, bordered by mature trees. Fountains have been placed in the original moats, and white water-lilies float on the surface. The town will be pleasing to Americans, as the street plan forms a grit and one can't lose one's way. The only exception is the church, which is built at a slight angle. I have not checked yet, but suppose it has to do with the fact that churches were built in an exact east-west direction. And the church is not in the middle of town, but in a corner, next to the town wall. Apparently the town was later built next to the church, which was in a field.

The small town used to be open to the Zuiderzee, and the Vispoort – Fishgate – is still intact. The harbour beyond it houses several antique wooden sailing ships with leeboards, so characteristic for sailing ships in shallow waters, but there are no longer any fishing boats there. Pleasure yachts love to moor here. Elburg is at a disadvantage when we talk about access to the sea. After the Zuiderzee was closed off from the sea by a dam, the "Afsluitdijk", part of the IJsselmeer was also pumped dry and made into new land. This means that the harbour of Elburg opens only to a wide canal which was left between the new land and the "old" land. Enkhuizen, Hoorn and Marken for example, still have open access to the IJsselmeer and look out across the lake.

Although the map of the town might be familiar to people in the USA, the houses are not. They are very small, and the streets are so narrow, they are more like alleys. Cars can only negotiate a few streets and the inhabitants have to leave their cars in designated parking spaces just inside the walls. Visitors have to leave their cars outside the fortification. Large car-parks have been built for this purpose and they are free. Quite a blessing.

Elburg has a few interesting museums. The aim of my visit was to see a special exhibition in the local historic museum, paintings and drawings of organs and church interiors throughout history. The paintings fascinate me, but the building just as much. Because the museum is housed in a former convent, a building much bigger than the majority of the houses. Part of the complex is museum, but other parts are made into apartments and are residential. The inner court of the nunnery is now a pleasant garden, open to the public. There is a wedding reception going on as I walk through the garden. The tourist office is also housed in the former convent, and I buy a brochure with a "walk" through the small town.

The first stop is the former synagogue, Sjoel Elburg, now a museum of Jewish life before the second world war. The interior of the synagogue has been given to Aalten, where there are just enough Jews nowadays to have religious services . After the war, hardly any Jews returned to Elburg. There is a video presentation in which a rabbi explains the rituals and their meaning, as well as the use and symbolism of several garments and accessories. It is very well done. In the former synagogue there are a number of showcases, each with pictures and the history of 12 formerly well-known Jewish families in Elburg. They used to be bakers and butchers and were totally accepted in the community. It seems most Jews in Elburg were transported in 1943 to Sobibor and died in the gas chambers. It is stated without further comment, which makes it more impressive than graphic descriptions of their fate. They were people just like us. Their fate could so easily have been ours. They went away, expecting to be back soon, leaving valuables in the care of trusted neighbours. Some of those possessions are now on display in the museum.There is a Jewish cemetery on one of the bulwarks, which is not indicated on the printed leaflet with the walk. But I find it anyway. It is sadly locked now and probably no longer in use.

The walk goes on, through narrow streets and houses which are built with their back against the city wall, and thus called "Muurhuizen", Wall Houses. Many inhabitants have lifted pavement stones in front of their houses and planted hollyhocks and climbers and decorated their windowsills with potted plants. It looks very festive and homely. 

The St. Nicholas church is surprisingly surrounded by a big open space, and next to it there is a row of former almshouses, with their white walls and black painted lower bricks similar in appearance to the almshouses and Beguinages which can be found in many towns in Belgium. In the morning the church is unfortunately locked. A great pity, because apparently the organist who will give a recital tomorrow is practising and I can hear the music  outside but would love to listen to it in the church. When I come back a few hours later, the church is open, probably because preparations for a wedding are going on. The organist has gone. It is a beautiful church with a very unusual choir screen, the like of which I have never seen before. 

Choir screen and collection bags on long poles

  

On some of the walls, the ceiling and the  pillars paintings have surfaced when restoration was in progress. There might be quite a lot more under the white plaster, but whether they can be salvaged is another matter. There is also an unusual oak set of canopied pews, with a gallery on top, apparently commissioned by Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen, an admiral. He founded a school next to the church and an orphanage, and wanted his pupils to sit together, straight opposite the pulpit. The pulpit has been relocated and is now situated between the nave and the choir.

Another unusual museum is the Pipe organ museum, a tiny, rather dusty place, more like a shed, stuffed with photo's of organs, organists, posters of organ recitals, cuttings from newspapers and rows and rows of files with information about organs. On the walls some interesting scale models of famous organs, made by organ fans. There are stacks of old records with organ music, and an extensive collection of CD's and sheet music plus books and brochures about organs is for sale.

painted wooden pipes in the museum

The main street goes straight from one side of Elburg where the museum is to the Vispoort, opening out to the harbour. Midway this street is intersected by a canal, framed by trees and with a covered bandstand over the water near the intersection. Around these "crossroads" are most of the restaurants, and I try two of them for lunch and dinner. Many restaurants are decorated with fish-nets to emphasize their seafaring past

Elburg also has a real open air rope-yard, where one can see the rope-makers at work. It is rather fascinating, and I now realise where the word "lijnbaan" comes from and why a "lijnbaan" is always rather long.

Another surprise is a herbal garden, which is in full bloom. The air is very aromatic. Bees and bumble bees feast on the flowers, open to the sun.

Since this summer I have been exploring various old towns around the IJsselmeer, and so far it has been is a very informative an joyful experience. A pity that Dutch motorways are congested and blocked up at any time, so that my drive back took an extra hour and 45 minutes, not something one appreciates in the evening. But I would not have missed my day out in Elburg. It also proves that life as a single can be enjoyable and worthwhile. And although I can't share my experiences with a partner, I may share it with any stray reader of this blog.