Edam: Cheese Tradition and City History

History and cheese tradition in Edam

In the 14th and 15th centuries, Edam was one of Holland’s most important trading towns. Shipbuilding and the cheese trade in particular brought great prosperity to the city. The round Edam cheese takes its name from Edam and has been exported from here around the world for centuries. The city’s history thus brings together trade and a cheese that remains well known today. At the Edam cheese market, the ringing of a bell marks the opening and closing of the market day—a distinctive ritual surrounding the cheese tradition.

The Kaaswaag at Jan Nieuwenhuizenplein 5 is a building with a hipped roof and a small cupola on the roof. The façade features a stone bearing Edam’s city coat of arms and the year 1778. The Kaaswaag houses a permanent exhibition about the art of cheesemaking. For your visit planning, you can check the latest information about the exhibition. Another experience in Edam is The Story Of Edam Cheese, which tells the story of Edam cheese from the past to the present.

Historic buildings and cityscape

The Edam Museum tells the rich history of the city at two historic locations in the city centre. One is a late-Gothic merchant’s house, considered the oldest brick-built house in Edam and dating from between 1540 and 1550. This building offers a tangible indication of a specific period in the city’s history; the other historic sites add different architectural touches.

De Toekomst is a cheese warehouse built around 1890 in the Neo-Renaissance style on Nieuwe Haven, within the protected cityscape. It is considered a rare and well-preserved example of a cheese warehouse from the second half of the 19th century and has cultural, architectural and typological significance. The Damsluis also tells the story of the city’s construction: the historic vaulted structure lies at the western end of the Voorhaven and was built in its present form between 1795 and 1798. To the east, two coat-of-arms stones dating from 1701 are set into the quay walls.

Another distinctive structure is the Speeltoren, the tower of the former Kleine or Liebfrauenkirche. Its brick shaft dates from the 15th century; the octagonal sandstone lantern was built in 1568–1569. Together, these examples show different periods and architectural forms: from the late-Gothic merchant’s house to the Neo-Renaissance cheese warehouse and the tower with its older shaft and later lantern.

Fort bij Edam and water defence lines

Fort bij Edam was built at the beginning of the 20th century as the northeasternmost part of the Stelling van Amsterdam. The grounds—with their original salvage or storage shed and fort keeper’s house—the surrounding field of fire and the adjoining polders designated as a flood zone have been preserved almost untouched. At the same time, the fort has become a breeding ground and habitat for many bird and land-animal species. Military history, preserved structures and nature together shape the character of this place.

During the 2026 visitor season, the fort has weekly opening days with guided tours. On these days, you can also explore the fort on your own; a site plan and a short description are provided for this purpose. Check the schedule before travelling. This lets you choose between a guided tour and exploring independently when planning your visit, while keeping the seasonal conditions in mind.

Routes also trace the history of the defence lines. The 350-kilometre LAW Waterliniepad starts in Edam and runs along the former Stelling van Amsterdam and Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. By contrast, the Hollandse Waterlinies route guide features a walking route and a cycling route for each of its nine regions, where the UNESCO World Heritage site is clearly visible; the area extends from Edam to Giessen. The two offerings therefore differ in their focus: the LAW specifies its length and starting point, while the route guide presents walking and cycling routes by region.

Getting there and choosing a hotel

From Amsterdam, EBS bus line 314 travels towards Hoorn to the bus station in Edam. Check the current timetable for the line before travelling. When looking for a hotel in Edam, you can first consider what you want to define your stay: cheese traditions and trade, historic architecture or the history of the water defence lines. These themes can help guide your trip planning; then choose your accommodation based on the specific details of each hotel offer.

Discover more destinations: Volendam

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