Day trips: Woerden - Castle city in Netherlands Green Heart

Ten minutes south of Utrecht lies Woerden, a city where the Oude Rijn river used to flow through but  was diverted in 1960. Woerden has a history for cows, cheese and trading and there is still a cheese market at the city square Koemarkt, on Saturdays which has been held since 1885.  Due to its elevation in a water rich area, it attracted Roman settlers in the 40s AD where they built a Castellum as part of defense lines for the Roman Empire northern border. It was destroyed in 69 AD during the Batavian rebellion but rebuilt and the Romans remained until 402 AD. The Castellum was located at the present site of the medieval Woerden centre Petrus church and surrounding churchyard. During an underground parking facility construction numerous Roman remains were found, now on display in the Castellum Parking underground ground wall. The castle was used in the 70’s by Defence as a storage facility  

 

Opposite the castle, the Saint Bonaventura church and Defense Island  in Autumn

Sunny, Winter, late afternoon: The abbey is around the corner 

 

Woerden was occupied by the Spanish and French in the 1600's and 1672 is known as its toughest year. The French rampaged and burnt until finally retreating to Utrecht after the Nijmgen treaty was signed and Woerden had to pay 15 thousand guilders. The Petrus reformation church in the centre still shows bent and burnt beams of fire.  Its history gives this small city a lovely charm. Upon entry one is met by the park and Castle with its moat and a tall gothic steeple of the Saint Bonaventura another church in the above photo. This church lies just opposite to the small Castle and moat with an area called Defence island just around the corner; probably because Defence once used the small Castle as barracks for storing inventory.

 

The Woerden museum with old Roman remains, including part of a sword

 & Petruskerk above and below the little harbour

both pictures copyrighted to VVV Tourist Office Beleef Woerden

The Castle in summer

Also copyrighted to VVV Tourist Office Beleef Woerden

Castle from behind Up close in front of the church:  In summer the terrace above is open 

A cold wet wintery walk in Covid times

The entrance below

There are no canals inside the centre (only around the centre) but a few shopping streets and a square with familiar brands but also local artisan shops. North of the city lies a small harbour with a few sailboats and all around are lovely sidewalk cafes and restaurants, plus a cosy city hotel which buzzes in summer and at night outside around warm lit verandah fires. There is a lovely city park and a few canals outside the centre.   Driving the circle around the centre one finds an old Water Tower located in another small water edged park.

                       The Woerden Water Tower

  Bronze Statues outside Woerden Train Station of children playing in the rain

  Shopping streets with Woerden emblem of knights and view of the church 

In the Netherlands, there is always a windmill somehwere

Worden also holds a Koemarkt (Cow market) once a year with a Braderie.  I went in 2018 and it was great fun. The main square in front of the St Petrus church is a cow stall and it is just like old times with pretence sales of cattle with straw and wooden fencing. On Saturdays the square holds a market and here as well are some of the up market shops.  There are some lovely artisan small shops in this small city so worth walking the shopping streets for haberdashery, lovely laces and gifts.  

Woerden surrounding areas are rural areas filled with fields of cows or sheep, open green fields, water, horses, swans, geese and storks. With I might add, plenty of delightful small villages to visit. But they are for another blog. Happy day tripping!