Welcome to Marken, a village in North Holland, the Netherlands. This 2000 – inhabitant – village makes up a peninsula that attracts thousands of tourists every year. Because of its originality as a former small fishing town, it was considered a relic of the traditional native culture that would disappear as the modernization of the Netherlands gained pace.
In fact, the town’s history has allowed it to form an identity that’s unique in all the Netherlands.
Until 1957, Marken was an island in the Zuiderzee. In isolation from the rest of the Netherlands, it developed an independent culture – its own architecture, dialect, dress and more – that it still maintains, despite the closure of the dike that once separated it from the mainland Netherlands. When passing these characteristic wooden houses, you will reach the harbour, but similar houses can be found everywhere in the village.
Walking out on the pier, I feel summers might get hectic with all the tourists… but, let us not think about that now…
Let’s keep strolling along in the sleepy, rural tranquility. Life seems to have a pace of its own here – and somehow, I know why there were so many Dutch master painters centuries back… Had I been a painter, I would have spent weeks out here – immersed in all the colours and the rural beauty with canals, birds and farm animals.
Leya 
Looks so very Dutch. I love you colourful houses. The featured image is really great.
Hello
So glad you like the Dutch houses, Otto. And I felt rather good about that first image too – thank you for your feedback!
Looks like a really interesting place
I loved it – but maybe in the summer with thousands of tourists – I wouldn’t.
Ah yes, so picturesque, Ann Christine. I would imagine that the inhabitants must be very content living there. 🙂
They seemed very content – painting their houses, pruning their flowers and patting their cats!
❤
Love the colours and the wooden buildings….
Strange with the way they set the wood work horizontally!
Hadn’t noticed….
,-D
🤭😳
beautiful village!
Glad you liked it, Lola!
Beautiful and unique. I’m glad we could see it without all the people, although I understand why they would go there.
Agree –
What a fascinating place. Thanks for taking me there Ann-Christine 🙂
Thank you for coming with me!
Great place and your post was wonderful
So beautiful and seems so far away from the outside world.
It is connected to the mainland nowadays, but still a bit isolated.
This is such a beautiful country town! I would love to stay here!
Regards, Teresa
It was really lovely – the rural tranquility was soothing.
What a lovely place 🌷
Glad you like it too.
What an idealic village and the colors are so vivid in the landscape. Beautiful captures! Thank you for sharing!
So happy to share them! It was indeed a lovely little village –