Amersfoort is one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands. It has a beautiful historic center and trendy industrial districts full of distinctive architecture. Even if you are born and raised in Amersfoort, you will never get tired of this city!Inthis blog I will tell you why you want to walk this route too....
Get to know Amersfoort (again)
Does Rondje van de Stad look familiar to you? It may! It is a festival in cooperation with Open Monumentendag Amersfoort. In 2018, they started organizing special walking tours. Normally you would walk past open monuments filled with artists and audience. On the initiative of Theatergroep De Luie Honden, a special and digital version was presented this year. To follow the route, you need the Rondje van de Stad Route booklet. At the bottom of the blog you can find out how to get it.
In this booklet you will find a route map, information about the various attractions and QR codes. Scan these codes and listen to fun facts and trivia at beautiful locations. Or get inspired by city poets, musicians and other artists who share their creativity digitally with you!
Don't forget your earphones and phone with QR code scanner. So you can fully enjoy the route and what Amersfoort has to offer!
Provide a friendly & good guide
Hiking in pairs is a lot more fun than hiking alone. That's why I asked my good friend Ilse to go on an adventure together. We both live in Amersfoort and love to be surprised by the city. We agreed to meet at the first location along the route: the beautiful Koppelpoort. No matter how many times you look at this gate, it never gets boring.
Tip: Pick someone who can navigate well and get you from point A to B. Whether that is Ilse's strongest quality, I will leave for the moment.... But we certainly laughed and enjoyed ourselves! :)
The beating heart of our city
The route takes you past fourteen locations and takes about two hours to complete. You will walk past a number of familiar landmarks, but will also get to see a lot of locations that would normally pass you by.
For me, one of those places was the Civil Orphanage, founded in 1551. For hundreds of years orphans from Amersfoort spent their childhood years here. At this location, I recommend making good use of the route booklet. Charlotte Waardenburg and Dookje Engelhard take you on a musical tour, where you can admire the beautiful building inside as well. You will get the feeling that you have been there yourself!
You will also learn more about famous landmarks. The videos talk extensively about the history of various locations, so they really go into depth in their narration.
Feast your eyes!
Don't just be concerned with the locations on the route itself. Look carefully around you, too. For example, Ilse and I were surprised when we walked past the Mariënhof. We had seen that Boulder of a Stone before (see photo, left). But did you know that this was a piece of the Old London Bridge? We didn't. Amersfoort received it as a gift from the English. So we learned something more about our little town!
Ready for an adventure?
Go out yourself and let us know what your favorite locations are. You can order the Rondje van de Stad Route booklet for €2.50 from this website. Have fun walking!
