Schokland (photo Dymphieh)

Schokland

Schokland is a former island, now completely surrounded by the reclaimed land of the North East Polder. For more in-depth coverage of Schokland, read our Place section in Issue 49 of Dutch the magazine…

Some interesting facts: 

  • A wooden boardwalk connected Schokland’s three villages, as the three separate mounds on which they had been built gradually subsided into the surrounding sea.
  • A royal decree forced the Schoklanders to leave their beloved island in 1859 for their own safety. They were ordered to bring their houses with them as they moved to the mainland, to stop them from returning.
  • The tiny island was split between two provinces, the northern part belonging to the province of North-Holland and the southern part to the province of Overijssel. Today Schokland is part of the province of Flevoland.
  • The descendants of the original islanders still meet regularly for reunions.
  • The contours of the island are clearly visible in the surrounding land, a footpath circles its perimeter.
  • Schokland was The Netherlands’ first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Original article by: Tom Bijvoet