Hattem: Dijkpoort, windmills and Hanseatic history

Hattem can be explored through a wide range of themes: historic buildings, museums with their own particular focus, and routes through the surrounding countryside. When planning a stay, it is helpful to think of these offerings not as one single itinerary. Architecture and the town’s history shape some of the sights, while walking and cycling routes and the nearby landscape take centre stage outdoors. This lets you choose the focus of your trip and discover Hattem’s different sides.

Town gate, town wall and church

The Dijkpoort dates from the 14th century. The town gate was given its towers in 1908, based on a design by architect Pierre Cuypers; it was fully renovated in 2012. This building thus reveals several phases of its history: its medieval origins, the addition of the towers and its later renovation. Parts of the original town wall have also been preserved in Hattem. The Grote of Andreaskerk is in the centre and is the oldest church building in the town. Those interested in architectural history will find several points of interest here: a historic gate with towers added later, preserved sections of the wall and a church of particular significance to Hattem.

Windmills, museums and Hanseatic history

The De Fortuin windmill is located on the ramparts of the historic town centre. It can be visited free of charge and is open and operating every Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. As visiting hours may change, it is worth checking the current times before your visit. The Anton Pieck Museum offers a museum tour that you can use on your smartphone. The Voerman Stadsmuseum Hattem has a collection of paintings by Jan Voerman senior, Jan Voerman junior, Jo Koster and other artists. The regularly held Broodshows at the Nederlands Bakkerijmuseum offer a different way to engage with culture: the baker tells the story of bread and pastries and demonstrates their skills in handling dough.

The Hanze Walk of Fame is an interactive tour of Hattem that uses audio, images and augmented reality to share the town’s Hanseatic history. It offers a different focus from the museums, placing the town’s history at the heart of a tour that uses several media. Ten Luisterbankjes are located from the town centre to the green outskirts. A Luisterbankje logo and QR code identify each bench.

Walking routes, cycling routes and landscapes

For a walk, Hattem has two Klompenpaden through the surrounding countryside. The routes pass over extensive meadows and along quiet, unpaved tracks. If you prefer cycling, you can follow cycling route junctions 58, 59 and 60, which are in or near the centre. There is also a 25-kilometre IJsseldijk loop route, which crosses the bridge to Zwolle.

The landscape is another attraction in its own right: Hattem lies on the northern edge of the Veluwe. From there, the ’t Algemene Veen nature area is just a short trip away. It features heathland, juniper groves and drifting sand. The Klompenpaden and the nature area offer different ways to experience the surrounding countryside: the paths specifically cross meadows and unpaved tracks, while ’t Algemene Veen is characterised by the landscape features described above. This lets you decide whether to focus your stay more on the town’s history, a museum, a cycling or walking route, or the landscape.

For the main travel overview: Hattem.