Holland is the westernmost province of the Netherlands and borders the North Sea.
Welcome to Holland! A place where tulips bloom and windmills spin; people are hardworking and friendly. Here, tulips bloom among windmills while friendly inhabitants work the fields. But this is only part of its great nation – this is only Holland.
Historical background
The modern Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. Comprised of twelve provinces, two are known as Holland; this term derives from one of the medieval cores that later became the Netherlands, the County of Holland. Situated in North Western Europe near both the North Sea and a series of estuaries and canals, its location makes for ideal study conditions.
Land that would become the Netherlands was first settled by farmers during the 10th and 11th centuries. They farmed reclaimed areas by draining them – something which had an unintended consequence: soil shrunk to half its original depth, making the land vulnerable to floods and erosion.
Due to this development, dunes were formed in the Netherlands that are used as flood barriers today. Furthermore, Dutch investors invested heavily in an extensive system of rivers, canals, and dikes which protect against flooding while creating fertile grounds for agriculture.
Holland achieved great wealth and power during the 15th and 16th centuries as it rose as an economic and maritime powerhouse, dominating other Dutch provinces. Yet it never formed an identifiable nation: rather, its residents mostly loyalized to their village or region of residence.
Before the 17th century, Holland was part of the Republic of Seven United Netherlands. Following France’s revolution in 1795, an anti-French Batavian Republic (established 1795) emerged and later the Kingdom of Netherlands when Napoleon made himself King; Holland eventually lost influence due to other provinces establishing common national identities within this kingdom.
By the 19th century, flooding risks had greatly decreased as dykes were rebuilt and extended, further decreasing risks. To further mitigate them, in 1958 the Delta Project launched with a goal of reducing flood risks to once every 10,000 years.
Holland was for much of its history ruled by members of the House of Orange-Nassau, elected and hereditary stadtholders from Orange-Nassau. Although Holland is technically monarchical, only one of five High Councils of State is chaired directly by monarchy; others consist primarily of legal specialists, former ministers or members of parliament, judges or professors of law as members.
Tulips
From late March to mid-May, large parts of the Netherlands become a vibrant patchwork quilt of brightly-hued tulips. A must-see when visiting Holland, these vibrant blooms can be found at Keukenhof Gardens as well as fields filled with other varieties like crocuses, hyacinths and daffodils. Tulips thrive in Holland’s climate and well-drained soil near the North Sea; thanks to its popularity this flower industry now dominates globally.
Tulips were first brought to Europe by Dutch diplomat and botanist Clusius in 1596. Since then, this exotic flower has become a symbol of wealth and status throughout Europe, particularly during the Dutch Golden Age from 1600-1750 when they were sold at outrageously high prices (one bulb could sell for up to 10x its annual income for skilled craftsman), fuelling what became the first economic bubble ever witnessed in history.
Tulip popularity resulted in a flourishing trade between the Netherlands and other parts of the world, particularly through Dutch East India Company ships sailing around the globe and returning with raw materials that merchant classes then packaged and sold at great profits; furthermore, this prosperity stimulated natural history studies as well as botany research.
Dutch residents were especially fond of roses, hyacinths and daffodils – not just tulips! Starting in the 16th century, various Dutch towns began developing botanical gardens known for their floral displays.
For optimal viewing of tulip fields, April to May is your best opportunity. While you might still find some in shops from December through January or February, outdoor blooming tulips only take place between late April and early May.
Although it’s possible to visit Keukenhof Gardens on your own, an organized tour from Amsterdam that includes transportation and an entrance ticket is highly recommended. Prices typically begin around 40 EUR/person with tours available several months in advance.
Windmills
Windmills are one of the Netherlands’ most iconic features. Once ubiquitous across its landscape, only approximately 1,000 remain today; most serve to generate energy – either for grinding grain or pumping water out of polders – while nineteen at Kinderdijk in South Holland have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites and attract visitors from all around.
Dutch were not the inventors of windmills, but their location along the sea and lack of gradient in rivers made them ideal places for them. Although initially they used them primarily to grind grain, eventually harnessing their power for other uses as well. Over time they became adept at turning raw materials into tradeable products – grain mills, snuff mills, cocoa mills, oil mills and paint mills became common; also famous were Zaanstreek paper mills renowned for producing quality paper that even printed the American Declaration of Independence!
Old mills – some still functioning and some not – can still be seen all around the country, particularly areas with plenty of water. You might recognize some from UNESCO World Heritage sites Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans; others have been converted into museums or restaurants/cafes; with others serving renewable energy generation via large rotor blades.
An easy way to spot a Dutch windmill is its sails’ orientation. Traditional Dutch windmills rotate counterclockwise; this may be because their sails capture wind coming from the north while pushing against currents flowing south, pushing against water currents that flow west. Wing positions may also convey other messages: family funeral, joyous event such as wedding or an announcement about short or long delays before work begins.
Dutch researchers are pioneering revolutionary new technology that could transform how we look at energy production and our energy needs. They’re currently testing vertical axis wind turbines with V-shaped blades in order to increase their efficiency and produce greener power sources.
Rembrandts
Rembrandt was an integral member of Amsterdam society during the 17th century, witnessing both his greatest triumphs and low points there – such as loss of family members and financial distress – yet this remarkable city provided him with inspiration to create many grand religious works, intimate drawings, etchings, and emotive depictions of saintly figures that inspired his artistic masterpieces.
Rembrandt spent his early years living on Weddesteeg, an idyllic residential street outside the city center, which still ends at De Put windmill – similar to one owned and used by his father for grinding malt for beer production. Here the young Rembrandt discovered his talent for drawing and painting directly from life; an approach which would remain with him throughout his career.
In 1628 he took on his first pupils: Gerrit Dou (Dutch, 1613-1675) and Isaac Jouderville (1612-1645/1648). Soon thereafter he joined the St Lucas painters’ guild on Nieuwmarkt at De Waag which helped him find work. Later that same year, in 1634, he married Saskia van Uylenburgh, daughter of a wealthy burgomaster from Leeuwarden who introduced him to many prominent figures of Leeuwarden society.
Rembrandt stood apart from his colleague Rubens by creating his paintings using direct observation of people and their environment, rather than employing large workshops to produce life-size allegories and history paintings. Rembrandt became fascinated by light, space, atmosphere modeling texture and human behavior and sought to portray these aspects through his art.
Rembrandt’s paintings were not only appreciated during his lifetime but also inspired later artists – Frank Auerbach’s 1960s paintings attest to this fact. Rembrandt is revered as one of the greatest painters from the Golden Age; many of his works are among the most acclaimed worldwide. His expressive painting technique and depth of feeling has become famous worldwide. Recently many of Rembrandt’s original masterpieces have been restored back to their former brilliance while his print and etching oeuvre is quite vast as well.