Hoorn, Netherlands 🌊⛵

Once a thriving port city during the golden age of the 16th–17th centuries, Hoorn was a key hub for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Originally the capital of Friesland, it played a vital role in the "Seven Cities Alliance," helping liberate the region from Spanish occupation (1569–1573). Must-See Highlights 🏰✨ Hoofdtoren – A majestic defensive gate built in 1532, now home to one of Hoorn’s finest restaurants 🍽️. Its small bell tower still watches over the harbor. Rode Steen (Red Stone Square) – Once the heart of maritime glory, now marked by the statue of Jan Pieterszoon Coen, VOC’s controversial founder. The square’s grim name comes from bloodstained executions. Nearby stands the 17th-century Weigh House, adorned with a unicorn—the city’s symbol 🦄. Westfries Museum – Housed in the historic Statencollege, this museum showcases rich Dutch Golden Age paintings and regional history 🖼️. Museum Stoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik – Ride a vintage steam train (blooming with tulip fields in spring 🌷) and cruise the IJsselmeer to Enkhuizen! 🚂⛴️ Museum of the 20th Century – A quirky museum in a former prison, featuring relics like a 1964 Philips computer—a suitcase-sized beast with just 1KB memory 💾😲. Oosterkerk – A serene church adding to the city’s historic charm. #NorthHolland #Hoorn #NetherlandsTravel #EuropeanVillageWanderlust