North and East of Deventer there are several villages, namely Diepenveen,
[Deventer, that’s something else!] Deventer, a medieval Hanseatic town on the river IJssel. A town on a river always has a certain atmosphere: vivacious, frivolous, even exuberant; life is good when you are living near a river! It is as if the flowing water provides the town with some sort of reviving elixir. Maybe that is the reason why Deventer bursts with vitality; a lively town with a historic ambience and beautiful surroundings. It is that same river IJssel which has been an important factor in creating the surrounding landscape. Deventer, Diepenveen, Schalkhaar, Bathmen, Lettele and Okkenbroek have a lot to offer and therefore welcome you to this hospitable Hanseatic town on the IJssel.
For centuries Deventer has had the reputation of being hospitable. Since Deventer is one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands it does not come as a surprise that the oldest brick private house is to be found there, in the Sandrasteeg to be precise. Deventer was a prominent member of the Hanseatic league. In the Middle Ages merchants from every corner of Europe flocked to this town to attend the annual fairs. It is in this period that the present town centre finds its origin. Several historic monuments, such as, for instance, the beautiful building ‘De Drie Haringen’ (The Three Herrings), recall the old Hanseatic days of yore.
Schalkhaar, Bathmen, Lettele and Okkenbroek, and also the hamlets Averlo, Loo and Frieswijk. For anyone who is interested in cycling or walking tours, who loves nature and looking for culture in the countryside, these are the places to be. Country estates like Nieuw Rande, De Kranenkamp or Oostermaet are worth seeing in any season. Monuments like the church of Diepenveen, which dates back to the fifteenth century, the former town hall in Schalkhaar or the many authentic old farms can take you back to days gone by. There are several guidebooks and maps for walking and cycling tours available at the Tourist Information Office in Deventer.
Whenever one thinks of Deventer, the traditional Deventer Cake springs to mind. Deventer and cake are inseparably bound to each other. The Hague has
There are many interesting things to be seen in Deventer. In the first place the historic city centre with its many monuments. But there is much, much more; far too many sights to squeeze into one single day. There is, for instance, the nationally wellknown Toys museum, the Great Church (also known as the Lebuinus Church) and its tower, the beautifully historic City Hall, het Bergkwartier (the district surrounding the Bergkerk, a church placed on a hillock), het Noordenbergkwartier (a very old quarter), the Broederenkerk (another great church), the Etty Hillesum Centre, the Vogeleiland, and so on. And always there is the river IJssel, making the location of this town and its surroundings unique. A visit to Deventer is not complete without taking a stroll or just relaxing by the riverside. A foot-passenger ferry can take you quickly across the river to yet another wonderful scenic area (consisting of a park called Het Worpplantsoen and the Ossenwaard). On this side of the river one can also find an authentic windmill, De Bolwerksmolen.
his ‘Hopjes’ and Kampen his ‘Onions’. But the link between a delicacy and a city is nowhere as prominent as in Deventer. For over five centuries this cake has personified Deventer’s hospitality. The Deventer Koekwinkel (the Deventer Cake shop) on the town square De Brink has always plenty of Deventer Cake in store, so why not try a sample of this delicacy?
A few times a year, during the big festivities, Deventer is even more hospitable than usual. There is the ‘Deventer Summer Fun Fair’ (first week of June), the International Street Theatre Festival ‘Deventer On Stilts’ (for three days in early July), and of course, the ‘The Deventer Book Fair, the Largest annual book market in Europe’ (held on the first Sunday of August). Furthermore there is the arrival of St. Nicholas by boat in December, a typically Dutch tradition, and around Christmas there are Season’s festivities like the Charles Dickens Festival.
Deventer, the best shopping town in the Netherlands. There is something here for everyone; for those who like to go out shopping, there are various stores and many typically quaint and cute little shops conveniently arranged in the town centre. On the edge of the city centre a unique total concept is offered, ‘De Boreel’, which comprises large-scale shops, a cinema and restaurants. After 7 centuries Deventer is still a market-town; every Friday and Saturday there is a market on the town square De Brink.
Further information: VVV Deventer [Tourist Information Office] De Waag - Brink 56 Phone number: 0031-[0]570-710120 E info@vvvdeventer.nl I www.deventer.info
design: SlotemakerSantema.nl
Over the last fourty years the city of Deventer has devoted a lot of attention to the renovation and conservation of the historic town centre. The old street pattern is virtually unchanged and hundreds of monumental buildings have been restored, often furnished with newly decorated windows or new facades. But there are definitely new buildings as well; some of which are designed to blend in with the historic background, others that are completely modernising.
VVV Deventer, edition 2015
general information leaflet