The Harbor

The harbour of Urk is the centre of life in this former island community on the edge of the Noordoostpolder in Flevoland. Urk was an island in the Zuiderzee until the surrounding sea was drained in the 1940s, and its identity is still bound up with fishing and the sea. Boats come and go from the harbour, the fish auction and processing businesses are close by, and smokehouses and fish restaurants line the quays. The atmosphere is that of a working fishing port rather than a purely tourist harbour.

The old harbour area is known as the Westhaven, and it is the best place to feel the town's character. Fishing cutters in blue and white and red are moored along the quays, nets and gear are piled on the stones, and the smell of the sea and of smoked fish hangs in the air. The brick houses along the waterfront are small and neat, and the surrounding lanes are narrow, in the style of a village that once had to fit onto a small island. In the evenings, boats are lit up, and the harbour has a quiet, intimate atmosphere.

The lighthouse is the best-known landmark. It was built in the mid-nineteenth century, in the 1840s, and its tower stands near the water, guiding ships that sail the former Zuiderzee, now the IJsselmeer. It is a simple, sturdy structure, and it is one of the main subjects for photographs. Nearby is the Fishermen's Monument, a memorial to those who did not return from the sea, which is a moving place and reflects the dangers that fishing communities have always faced.

Urk has strong traditions. Many of its people belong to conservative Protestant churches, and some older women still wear traditional costume on special occasions. The local dialect is unusual and not easily understood even by other Dutch speakers. Visitors can learn more by visiting the small museum in the old village, and the Kerkje aan de Zee, the little church by the sea, adds a spiritual note.

The harbour suits those who like fish, boats and maritime atmosphere. Try fresh or smoked fish from a stall or restaurant, and take a stroll around the quays at sunset. Fishing boats may be at sea on weekdays, so the harbour is livelier in the morning and on weekends.