Marken Harbor

The harbour of Marken is the centre of this former island in the Markermeer, a short distance north of Amsterdam, and it is where the character of the village is most visible. Marken was an island in the Zuiderzee until a causeway was built in 1957, connecting it to the mainland, and it still has the feel of a place apart. The harbour is lined with wooden houses painted bright green with white trim, many of them standing on mounds or stilts, and the effect is of a village that has been preserved from an earlier age.

The houses on the harbour front are the legacy of life with water. Before the lake was embanked and the sea dikes were improved, the island was exposed to storms and floods, and the islanders built their homes on artificial hills, called werven, with the houses raised above the high-water mark. In some parts of the village, the houses stand on piles, leaving a space beneath for the water to flow. The wooden construction, steep roofs and small windows are typical of the architecture, and the strong green colour is a local custom that gives the village its distinctive look.

The harbour was once the base for a fleet of fishing boats that went out to catch anchovies, eels and other fish, and the community lived from the water. Today the fishing has largely ended, and the harbour is used by pleasure boats and the small ferries that connect the village with Volendam. Visitors can sit on a terrace and watch the boats, or walk along the quay to the point at the end of the village, where the Paard van Marken, a little lighthouse built in 1839, stands guard over the water. The name means Horse of Marken, and the building is one of the most photographed in the region.

The village offers a few other attractions. Small museums, including the Marker Museum in the old wooden houses, explain the history of the island and the traditional costume with its striped skirts and embroidered caps. Shops on the Hoofdstraat sell clogs, cheese and souvenirs, and restaurants serve fish, including smoked eel, a traditional local speciality.

Marken suits visitors who want a picturesque half-day trip from Amsterdam, by bus, bike or boat. Summer weekends can be busy, so aim for the morning or late afternoon. Bring a camera, a windproof jacket and a taste for smoked fish.