Travel from Heemstede to Haarlem | Netherlands

Heemstede is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Heemstede formed around the Castle Heemstede that was built overlooking the Spaarne River around 1286. Before 1296, Floris V, Count of Holland, granted Heemstede as a fiefdom to Reinier of Holy. During the 14th century, a village formed near the castle, which was destroyed and rebuilt several times in this period. A resident of this castle was Adriaan Pauw, who bought it in 1620. In 1653, Bennebroek split off from Heemstede, becoming a separate fiefdom.

Growth was slow, and in 1787 Heemstede counted 196 families. Even at that early date Heemstede had already gained the reputation it has today, of being primarily a "bedroom community" for the cities of Haarlem and Amsterdam. Wealthy city families left the cities in the summer, escaping "canal fever" which caused illness from the putrid canals. As a result, many estates were built in the 17th and 18th centuries, some of which (partially) remain until today such as Oud-Berkenroede, Berkenrode, Ipenrode, Huis te Manpad, Hartekamp, Bosbeek, Meer en Bosch, Meer en Berg, and Gliphoeve.

In 1857, the municipality Berkenrode was merged with Heemstede. In 1927, the northern portion of Heemstede, including a large part of the Haarlem Forest, was in turn added to the city of Haarlem.

Haarlem is a city outside of Amsterdam in the northwest Netherlands. Once a major North Sea trading port surrounded by a defensive wall, it retains its medieval character of cobblestone streets and gabled houses. It's the center of a major flower-bulb-growing district, and famous for its outlying tulip fields, art museums and hofjes (almshouses built around leafy courtyards).

Travel from Heemstede to Harlem | Netherlands

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