Vrouwtje van Stavoren

The Vrouwtje van Stavoren, the Little Woman of Stavoren, is a small bronze statue at the entrance to the harbour of Stavoren, the Frisian town on the IJsselmeer. It depicts the heroine of one of the best-known legends in Friesland, a story that explains in a single image why a once-wealthy Hanseatic port became a quiet village. The figure looks out over the water, and is one of the most photographed sights in the town.

According to the legend, a rich widow owned a fleet of ships and was proud of her wealth. She told one of her captains to sail to the Baltic and bring back the most precious cargo in the world. The captain, unable to decide what that might be, loaded wheat, the basis of life, and returned to Stavoren. The widow, expecting gold or jewels, was furious and ordered the grain to be thrown into the harbour. The captain obeyed, though he warned her that she would regret it. The grain sank, sprouted in the harbour mud and formed a sandbank that blocked the entrance, and the town's trade collapsed. The widow lost her fortune and ended her days in poverty, begging for bread.

The moral is about pride, waste and the fragility of prosperity, and it was told to generations of children. A sandbank in the IJsselmeer near the town is still called the Vrouwezand, the Woman's Sand, and locals will tell you it is where the grain went down. In reality, Stavoren declined for more mundane reasons, including silting, changes in trade routes and the rise of Amsterdam, but the legend has more narrative power than the history.

The statue is a short walk from the other things to do in the town. The fishing port, the pavement cafes, the IJsselmeer beach and the pumping station J.L. Hooglandgemaal are all close, and the harbour is a base for sailors. The ferry from Enkhuizen arrives here, so many visitors see the statue within minutes of landing.

A visit takes only a few minutes, but it is a good starting point for a longer walk along the harbour and the dike. Visit in the evening, when the light over the water is soft, and bring a camera. Friesland’s best-loved legend, Stavoren’s emblem and the Lady of the harbour are all one figure. Visitors who stop by in summer will find terraces busy nearby.