The Muiderslot seen from the sea locks of Muiden
The sea locks at the lovely liltle town of Muiden at the most northerly end of the River Vecht once were much important than now once the level of the Zuiderzee rose heavily with the natural change of ebb and flood. When the Zuiderzee was cut off from the North Sea in 1931 and actually re-named IJsselmeer, the difference in height became much less important. Still the locks are used these days, as the level of the IJsselmeer or the most southerly part of it, the Markermeer, is higher than the level of the river. It means that the water runs up-stream here.
Where it does it go? Well, that is a rather complicated story, and I shall not bother you with it today. It is just an ever so intriguing bit of Dutch water control, about most people here hardly ever think though they sleep 1, 2, 3 or even more meters below sealevel and without that water control would not be able to live where they do so.
An interesting element of this picture: it shows clearly a cultural change, the traffic of goods having completey changed to fun traffic! There are only very few commercial boats coming along any longer.
More about Muiden in a short Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muiden
Muiden, 15th April 2007, 11.24
Nikon D 80, Nikkor 18-200 mm at 60 mm
F 5, 1/320, ISO 100
The Muiderslot seen from the sea locks of Muiden belongs to the following groups:
Dutch TouchAvailable for sale as Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints
Phil Threlfall, 7 months ago
Well composed, nice depth, and good description
MrJoop, 7 months ago
It surprises me, how familiar the name Muiderslot is to me. It proves how much goes into our memory bank, while we are in primary school. Although our school was supposed to be using innovative modern methods, we were taught the history and geography of the Netherlands in a traditional way.
The rote learning of all the towns along the rivers, wasn’t so effective but the stories about the battles with the Spanish and the English, etc., were more interesting. I read in Wikipedia that Graaf (Count) Floris was associated with this castle.
As always, what a great perspective! (On my first trip back to the Netherlands, my primary school best buddy and his wife took me for a driver, to a castle, in 1969. I am desperately trying to remember. I’m 95% sure that it was Muiderslot.)
Interpretations, 7 months ago
Great viewpoint in this one! I remember visiting the castle there with my parents when my daughter was just 18 months , and she was dancing on the tiles on the castle floor lol
jchanders in reply to MrJoop’s comment, 7 months ago
It will probably have been the Muiderslot. Not so many really old castles left here.
It is good that your memory stored some of the fascinating old stories.
jchanders in reply to Interpretations’s comment, 7 months ago
Yes, quite a few people will know this place. It is very touristy nowadays, but as it is so historically important I thought it deserved a place in this gallery. Normally I am not really following the tourist tracks.