Hollum Village Center

Hollum is the largest village on Ameland, one of the Frisian Wadden Islands, and it lies on the western end of the island, close to the dunes and the beach. It is a long, linear village, built along a single main street, the result of two older settlements that grew together in the late Middle Ages, and the arrangement makes it easy to explore on foot or by bicycle. The name is thought to mean a settlement on a hill, and the village does stand a little above the surrounding land, which is typical of island villages that had to keep clear of floods.

The lighthouse is the most noticeable landmark. The Ameland lighthouse, built in 1880 and known as the Bornrif lighthouse after the offshore shoal it guards, stands near the village and rises to a height of well over fifty metres. It is painted in a striking pattern of red, white and black, and it can be seen from much of the island. The dunes around it and the beach, the Strand van Hollum, are close, and the lighthouse is open to climb at certain times in the season, giving long views across the island and the sea.

History is part of the village's identity. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, many men from Ameland sailed on whaling ships to the Arctic, and the captains who commanded them, the commanders, became wealthy and built houses in Hollum, the so-called Commandeurshuisjes, which still stand. The Sorgdragermuseum tells the story of these whaling captains and of life on the island. The Reformed church has foundations that go back to the twelfth century, and the old tower, De Oude Toren, is another reminder of the village's age. A smock mill, De Verwachting, stands in working order and is a pleasant sight against the sky.

The village has the facilities of a small island community: cafes, restaurants and shops, and it is an easy base for cycling around the island. Ameland itself is reached by ferry from Holwerd, in about forty-five minutes, and much of the island is car-free or lightly trafficked, with cycling the main way of getting about. Nes, the largest settlement, has the harbour and the ferry, and the Wadlopen Center offers mudflat walking.

Hollum suits cyclists, families, history lovers and walkers who like to combine a village with the beach and the dunes. Allow two to three hours for a walk through the village and the lighthouse, and more if you visit the museum. Check lighthouse and museum hours in advance.