The best city hikes and walks around Noorder IJplas

The Footbridge The exact location of Monet's painting The Footbridge has never been determined. The work depicts a small bridge with a house in the Zaan region behind it and was given by Monet to his friend Henry Havard. This mysterious painting has found a new home on Halstraat. The mural is full of local nods: a jar of Zaan mayonnaise refers to a former resident, ring-necked parakeets fill the sky, and a black kitten appears by a cat flap. Thanks to a residents' initiative and support from the housing corporation Parteon, this once drab wall has become a real eye-catcher. This mural is part of a series of murals inspired by a Zaan region painting by the French Impressionist Claude Monet. They were created by Piotr Baczinsky (BC-Escobe/Baca), Maciej Gadek (Just Drone It), and Angel Alvaresz (Anger). Claude Monet was 30 years old when he and his family spent the summer of 1871 in Zaandam. The French painter made 24 landscape paintings and a portrait here.

Oosterkattegat III Windmill In the schoolyard of CBS De Tamarinde stands one of Monet's three versions of the Oosterkattegat paint mill. In 1871, this mill was located on the Zuiddijk; it was demolished in 1896. Monet painted it near the current Vissershop. This mural is special because of the school's involvement. Students contributed ideas and helped, making art a literal part of daily outdoor play. What began with a chance encounter and an admiring remark, "I want that too," grew through crowdfunding into "Julia's Wall": a colorful and educational work of art.

Oosterkattegat Mill I Near the spot where Monet set up his easel, mural number five appeared. In 1871, this street didn't yet exist; it was land outside the dikes along the Zaan River. The artists added contemporary elements: the advertisement for the plumbing company AL, which had been there for decades, and a woman with her cat in a boat (the current resident) immortalized in paint. This mural is a textbook example of "for and by residents." Thanks to a lightning-fast crowdfunding campaign, the budget was raised within a day, and local residents came daily to watch the painting.

The Voorzaan and the Westerhem I On the low wall between Zuiddijk and Touwslagersstraat, Monet returns to the Voorzaan. He painted the original from the jetty of Hotel De Beurs, overlooking the island of Westerhem and the Van de Stadt family's timber mills. BC-ESOBE created a subdued, almost sketchy mural here, befitting the character of the original work. The wall is owned by Thuis met Zorg Zaanstreek, a fact subtly reflected in details such as the logo and a ship's sail. This mural was deliberately created as a gift to the neighborhood: free, using leftover paint, and intended to breathe new life into a forgotten thoroughfare. This mural is part of a series inspired by a Zaan painting by the French Impressionist Claude Monet. They were created by Piotr Baczinsky (BC-Escobe/Baca), Maciej Gadek (Just Drone It), and Angel Alvaresz (Anger). Claude Monet was 30 years old when he and his family spent the summer of 1871 in Zaandam. The French painter created 24 landscape paintings and a portrait there.

Garden Houses on the Achterzaan & the Zaan River at Zaandam II This is where it all began. This first Monet mural, dating from September 2022, combines two Monet paintings. On the left, you see Garden Houses on the Achterzaan River, painted from a boat near the Beatrix Bridge. On the right, the Zaan River at Zaandam II appears, with the windmills of the Oostzijde, De Hemmes and 't Kalf. Because the wall turned out to be larger than expected, the artists decided to combine two works. This not only became the first mural but also the launch of the entire project. Note the playful interventions: an additional windmill in the distance, a drainpipe, and an electrical box that are effortlessly incorporated into the image. This mural is part of a series of murals inspired by a Zaan painting by the French Impressionist Claude Monet. They were created by Piotr Baczinsky (BC-Escobe/Baca), Maciej Gadek (Just Drone It), and Angel Alvaresz (Anger). Claude Monet was 30 years old when he and his family spent the summer of 1871 in Zaandam. The French painter created 24 landscape paintings and a portrait there.

Based on the painting "The Voorzaan and the Westerhem III" by Claude Monet. Near the entrance to the MonetAtelier, a colorful panel work stands here, an ode to the Voorzaan and the Westerhem. Monet likely painted this scene from the jetty of Hotel De Beurs, where he stayed in 1871. Back then, the water still lapped against the Zuiddijk, and windmills and ships dominated the view. The creation of this mural was a story in itself. Because spraying directly onto the bridge wall wasn't possible, individual panels were chosen. After months of preparation (affectionately known as "Operation Beatrix Bridge"), BC-ESOBE, Angel Alvarez, and local artist Peter Meijn painted the panels in Krommenie. They were then transported to their location via stairs and rafts. The result is a vibrant work with a rainbow twist: a statement for inclusivity in Zaandam.

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The Herengracht is considered the city's most important canal. In the 17th century, the city's wealthiest merchants and most influential rulers and mayors lived here. Even today, an address on the Herengracht is considered prestigious and elegant.