Discover Vries: village ensemble, church and routes

Vries is a typical Drenthe esdorp. When planning a trip, the village offers several specific points of interest: the protected village ensemble around the Brink, the Bonifatiuskerk, a cycling route and a walk with different landscape features. If you are looking for a hotel in Vries, these themes can help you assess whether the destination suits your interests. Village and architectural history offer a different focus from a cycling or walking tour; both aspects can be explored through specific places and routes.

Village ensemble and Bonifatiuskerk

Around the Brink, old Saxon farmhouses, trees and the old cobbled street form a protected village ensemble. Together, these three features define the protected village landscape, rather than highlighting just one building. Another cultural landmark is the Bonifatiuskerk in Vries. It is considered the oldest or one of the oldest churches in Drenthe. Its richly decorated Romanesque tower was built in the mid-12th century. The construction date refers to the tower, not to the church as a whole. The protected village structure and a medieval church building with a specifically dated tower thus offer two distinct ways to explore the area.

Cycling through Vries and Het Noordsche Veld

The Route Vries cycling route starts at the Noord-Willemskanaal, passes through Vries and continues to Zeijen. Along the way, it crosses the Het Noordsche Veld archaeological reserve. The reserve is a Dutch Rijksmonument, or national monument. This gives the route an archaeological dimension in addition to its named waypoints. The monument status applies to Het Noordsche Veld; the other place names describe the cycling route. If you want to include an archaeological point of interest as well as the route itself in your cycling trip, this offers a specific place to visit.

Walking route and geological features

The “Vries tot op de bodem” walking route passes the Holtveen pingo ruin. The area covered by the walk is part of the UNESCO Global Geopark De Hondsrug. Vries is situated on the Rolderrug; this describes the location of the village, while the Geopark designation applies to the walking area. The Aardkundig Monument, a two-metre-high sand exposure, is also located near Vries. Its soil profile shows the effects of the last three ice ages on the soil. Holtveen lies along the walking route; the monument is a separate geological point of interest near Vries. This gives you two distinct ways to explore the area: a geological feature along the walking route and a soil profile interpreted in terms of three ice ages.

Culture, archaeology or geology

Choosing based on your interests reveals a clear distinction: the cycling route passes through the archaeological reserve, while the walk passes Holtveen and its area is part of the Geopark. The Aardkundig Monument adds a geological perspective near Vries, with a soil profile showing the effects of the last three ice ages. This lets you explore Vries through its village ensemble and church architecture, or through archaeological and geological themes. If you are looking for a hotel, this distinction can help you decide whether the destination suits your travel plans.

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